The Evil Comes Crawling On Silent Paws
by Susi
Summary: a mysterious murderer hunts the Scooby Gang
1. Prologue till Part 4

Title: The Evil Comes Crawling on Silent Paws   
Email: susi@redssoulmates.com   
Author: Susi   
Rating: NC-17   
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns all, what a mess!   
Summary: An unexpected murderer creeps through Sunnydale.   
Distribution: Soulmates till the End of Time, Bite Me Please? All others, please ask first   
Couples: Willow/Angel, Spike/Angel   
Feedback: It's my first attempt at writing fanfiction and I'd send you Angel and Spike to give you a big kiss from me for some kind words :)   
Author's Note: totally AU and Angel is Spike's sire after he took over Dru's claim   


Text enclosed in * * represents thoughts or feelings.   
  


**Prologue**

White fog danced on the floor and then a blue and orange light flashed through the air. A man, huddled in a black robe, sat on the floor, whispering words in a strange and long forgotten language. Suddenly a blast of wind burst open the doors and a painful cry sounded through the night. 

And then, there was only silence... 

*** *** *** 

**Part 1**   
_One week later_   
_An old warehouse in Sunnydale_

Ethan Rayne looked down on the picture in his hand with visible hate. It showed a couple of young people, wearing clothes from the 60's. 

"Four are dead, only Giles remains! And this time his fate is sealed," he hissed hate-fully and went back to the book, which he had studied earlier this day. "Only one hour more and my revenge begins!" 

*** *** *** 

_Same Night_   
_Near the Bronze_

At the end of her long shift, an exhausted barmaid grabbed her bag and left the bar through the back door. Every night it gave her the creeps, when she had to go through the dark alley to get to her car. And this night it was even spookier, when she saw the fog creeping down the street. She searched for her car keys in the pockets of her jacket, when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Nervously she looked over her shoulder, but the fog was so thick, that she couldn't see anything. Anxiously she hurried to the parking lot, and when her car came into view, she sighed in relief. When she opened the door, a great hand with a black leather glove was placed over her mouth and the other around her waist. She was paralyzed with fear, but when she heard the hoarse whisper of his voice in her ear, she began to fight with all her strength. Tears of despair flew down her cheeks and then she saw a sparkle out of the corner of her eye. She heard his insane laughter and felt an immense pain shot through her body, as he buried the knife in her abdomen over and over again. When he felt her body got limp, he let the girl fall to the ground. With a last look of satisfaction, he turned around and vanished into the mist. 

She heard a whimper full of pain, and when her mind stopped spinning around, she realized that it was hers. She tried to lift up a hand, but she couldn't move, and suddenly she felt a great coldness climbing through her whole body. Crying in despair she knew that she was going to die - alone. 

*** *** *** 

_Same Night_   
_Angel's Apartment_

Angel's sleep was interrupted by the noise emitting from the television set. Something warm was cradled in his arms. He looked astonished at the red haired woman lying there, still asleep and he could hear her faint breathing and the slow beating of her heart. He knew he had to wake her and take her home but he was not in the mood to let her go. Instinctively he strengthened the hold of his arms around her waist. 

In all his time as a vampire he never had met a woman like her. Days and nights were spent caring for others and never condemning them for their faults. *If I ever loose you, my world will turn black and cold. I promise you, here and now, that I will always be at your side to protect you from the demons and forces of darkness,* he silently vowed to her. Then he stood up and lifted the precious weight in his arms and left his apartment to carry her home. 

Willow stirred from the sudden movement and opened her eyes sleepily. *Why is my pillow moving?* Willow thought confused. When Angel noticed her slight movement he bowed his head and whispered in her ear: "Close your eyes, Little One, I'm taking you home." She nodded lightly and laid her head down against his broad shoulder. And within a moment she felt asleep again. 

When Angel went along the parking lot between the Bronze and the old warehouses he suddenly smelled it: the unmistakable scent of fresh blood. He let his eyes roam over the park deck but he couldn't see anything. So he sniffed the air again and followed the scent. When he rounded the car, he stopped dead in tracks. 

"Willow...Little One...you have to wake up." he murmured softly in Willow's ear. 

Willow's eyes popped open by his concerned tone and he let her slide down on her feet. She wanted to look at what had caused his attention, but Angel shielded her sight and placed her body firmly behind his own. 

"What have you found?" she asked him nervously. 

"A corpse." Angel answered with a deadly voice. 

"Let me see it." Willow demanded and tried to walk around him, but Angel blocked her way and said angrily: "Do you want to get more nightmares?" 

Willow raised her hand and stroked slightly with her fingertips over Angel's cheek: "I've seen it before and it will not be the last one, I'm living on the Hellmouth, you know? Perhaps I can help you find something." With that said, she walked around his body and looked in horror at the dead body. Her clothes were covered with dark sticky blood. But the most horrible sight were the open eyes of the dead woman, filled with such angst and pain, Willow had to take a deep breath to not break down in sobs. Willow suddenly felt Angel's arms encircle her waist and she leaned against his comforting embrace. After some moments she had calmed down and Willow wiggled out of his embrace. 

"Did a vampire do this?" she asked in a small voice, trying to cover her fear. 

Angel braced himself against the overwhelming scent of the fresh blood and knelt beside the dead woman. He could feel his demon push to the front and he struggled to get a hold on it. *Come on, Angel, it's only a dead body.* With a low growl he turned the head of the woman to the side looking for a bite mark. 

"This is not the act of vampires. We should call the police," said Angel. He stood up and took Willow's hand in a tight grip to lead her away from the crime-scene. Unconsciously she stepped closer to her companion and listened silently while he made the call for the police. 

*** *** *** 

_Same Night_   
_Giles' Apartment_

With a fearful cry on his lips Giles woke up and sat straight in his bed. Tatters of his nightmare kept running through his sleepy mind. Thick fog, a knife, a scream and blood, oh so much blood, it was everywhere. Sweat was dripping from his brow and he lifted his hand to wipe it away, when he suddenly stopped midway and looked puzzled at his bloodcovered hand. Timidly Giles lifted his blanket and choked when he saw the filth on his sheets. With a cry of anguish he jumped out of the bed and tumbled to the far corner where he slumped down in a shuddering heap. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 2**   
_Same night_

Spike limped back to the watcher's apartment, loudly cursing the Slayer's arrogance under his non- existent breath. "Stupid bitch, why can't she just do it when I shout duck, hmm? Not bloody likely she has to stand there and do nothing, bloody hell." As a result of Buffy's ignorance Spike found himself surrounded by three gigantic blue-faced demons with long sharp claws. Only the hard training with his sire prepared him enought not to be torn into thousands of tiny little pieces. 

His relationship with his sire was something else Spike couldn't understand. One night after a long night of drinking he was ambushed by a group of humans. He barely made it out alive. Fuckin' chip. He crawled into his crypt and there was his sire in all his dark beauty. Before he could say anything his sire was at his side and helping him to his bed. Without a word Angel slit his wrist and nursed him with his sweet and powerful blood. Angel stayed the whole night and Spike found himself feeling safe and contented for the first time for a long time. Afterwards Angel had stayed in Sunnydale and their bitter relationship turned into a tentatively friendly one. Spike started to seek more and more of Angel's time. When he was questioned by the gang he merely told them he had nothing else better to do with his days than to torture his dear old dad a little bit. The witch was the only one who saw through him, but only because she was in love with the old poofster. *What a waste!* 

When Spike reached for the apartment's door handle he heard softly whimpering coming from the watcher's bedroom. 

"Must be the tea", Spike mumbled and opened the door. He was suddenly assaulted with the strong smell of sweat underlying with the coppery smell of blood. Lots of blood. His demon pushed forward and Spike gathered all the strength he had left to run up the stairs to Giles' bedroom. Flinging open the door he quickly scanned the room in search for the watcher. 

"Watcher, where are you?" No answer - only the soft sound of a whimpering man. "What the bloody Hell is going on here?" 

After a moment his eyes caught sight of Giles' huddled form in the far corner by the bed. With predatory speed Spike moved beside him and took a quick glance over Giles' shaking body. Giles' hands and pajamas were dark with dried blood and his bare feet covered with dirt. 

Cautiously, in order not to frighten him even more, Spike laid a gentle hand on Giles' shoulder to get his attention. 

"Giles, what happened? Let me see where you're injured, you're bleeding like a pig." 

Spike heard the watcher murmur something but it was to low even for his enhanced hearing. 

"What?" Again his only reward was a low murmur but this time he caught some word shreds. It sounded alarmingly like 'I killed her' but that was impossible, wasn't it? Giles was the most respectable man he knew. Such a thing was simply unthinkable. With some trouble, Spike managed to lead Giles to the couch into the living room where he pressed a big glass of Whiskey in his trembling hand. Then he did the only thing he could think of - he called his sire. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 3**   
_Same night_   
_Crime Scene_

While Angel called the police, Willow's sight roamed to the dead woman again and again. She had never seen so much fear, agony and loneliness in someone's eyes. The sheer horror of the scene caused Willow to unconsciously step closer to Angel's body. Smelling her fear and discomfort he put an arm around Willow's shoulder and drew her trembling body even closer. After the call Angel enjoyed another moment of their nearness but with a sigh he loosened his hold. 

"We have to go. It's not good if the police find us here - too many questions. And the sun'll be up soon." 

Willow nodded absent-mindedly and took his offered hand but when he took her to her family's house, she came to an immediate stop. 

"Angel, please," Willow looked up to his dark features, "I don't want...I can't be alone at the moment...please...I want to be where I feel safe." 

When he saw the tears spilling from her bright emerald eyes, Angel took her back in his arms. "Sshhh, Little One, nothing'll happen to you, I'll give my last breath to keep you safe. Ssshh," he gently lifted her face with his finger so she could see his sincerity. "Will you come back to my apartment?" 

Willow was drowning in his chocolate brown eyes. There was a light in them, not the ferocious amber of a vampire, but a warm glow, which stopped the flow of her tears immediately. She instinctively moved closer and laid her hands on his broad shoulders. Their lips approached one another as if in slow motion and when Willow felt Angel's cool lips touch her own for the first time it was as if an electrical shock went through her whole body. 

Angel had never felt so alive in his long existence as a creature of the night before. Even with Buffy his true nature hung above their heads as the sword of Damocles. But this sweet innocent girl in his arms - who smelled of violets and cinnamon - accepted both parts of him, the vampire and the man, without reservation and therefore he loved her even more. To kiss her soft lips was almost too much for his overloaded vampire senses and he struggled for control over the demon inside of him. But when Willow opened her tempting and damp lips to allow his cool tongue access to explore the warm cave of her mouth, he lost it and his demon pushed forward. Willow felt the ridges forming on Angel's face and his razor sharp fangs elongate but surprisingly she was not afraid. Instead she moaned with lust and cut her tongue on one of his fangs. The intoxicating flavour of Willow's blood roused Angel from his trance and he instantly removed his lips from her tender mouth. 

"Don't...please Angel, don't," Willow whispered breathlessly, "kiss me one more time, please, I lo..." She was interrupted by the shrill ringing of Angel's cell-phone. Mentally cursing, Angel answered the call, hoping that it was really important. 

"Yeah?" he knew he sounded harsher than usual. 

"Sire? Come to the watcher. Need you here." Then the phone went dead. 

Angel was frozen, Spike, his rebellious and wayward childe, had called him 'Sire.' Something horrible must has happened. With immense effort he melted back in his human form and turned around to his lovely companion. Willow saw the concern on his handsome face and bit back the question she had on the tip of her tongue. 

"That was Spike. Something happened back at Giles' and he needs my help," he searched her eyes, "and later we talk about what just happened between us, okay?" 

Taking his offered hand, Willow nodded while they left the dark alley in the direction of Giles' home in comfortable silence. In the distance the shrill sounds of the police sirens came closer. 

*** *** *** 

_Same Night_   
_Giles' apartment_

After half an hour and a whole bottle of Giles' best whiskey, he passed out on his sofa. Spike sighed in relief and left the apartment for a much-needed cigarette. Sitting on the watcher's steps he inhaled the strong smoke deeply, waiting for the calming effect. *You're getting worse then the poofster, you silly ass...'Sire, I need you!'... Oh, bloody hell, I can clearly see the self-satisfied smirk on that damn face.* He cursed himself and whatever had led him to this existence til he saw the large frame of his si... shut up, Spike, you idiot, ...Paingel.... it's Paingel or poofster or ... or whatever, but not sir... ohhhh God, pull yourself together. Taking a last deep drag of the cigarette he threw it to the ground and slowly rose to his feet. 

"About time too, you snail, getting old, buster?" he couldn't resist to tease Angel. 

Angel skimmed the body of his childe looking worriedly for any injuries. Finding none he grimly said, "If this is just another twisted joke of yours, I'll stake you with my own hands." 

Spike could feel his temper rise and opened his mouth for an adequate insult when he caught a glimpse of red hair behind Angel's broad shoulders. "Hi Red, playing with the candies?" 

"Shut up, Spike," Angel growled dangerously and showed a hint of fangs. Momentary startled by Angel's Sire-like behaviour, Spike cast down his look in submission. Pleased with his boy's reaction, Angel growled, "And now tell me what's going on inside and don't forget that a lady is with us!" 

Without resistance Spike opened the door for his Sire and the red witch, knowing that Angel would fix all the mess. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 4**   
_An Old Warehouse_   
_Same night_

When Ethan Rayne heard the police sirens race through Sunnydale a cruel sadistic smile graced his face. 

"Splendid! I believe Ripper is here again in order to play!" 

*** *** *** 

_Same Night_   
_Giles' apartment_

When Angel entered Giles' apartment he was overwhelmed with the stench of vomit, alcohol, dried blood and dirt and his stomach began to revolt. Taking deep breaths of unnecessary air he went to the sofa. 

"What happened here?" he asked over his shoulder. 

Shrugging Spike mumbled, "Don't know. When I came back from patrol, I heard this whimpering coming from his room. Found the sissy cowering in a corner babbling some rubbish - must be in a state of shock." Nobody should note how much the sight of Giles' had taken him along. 

Willow knelt beside Angel and stroked gently over Giles' hot forehead. "Is he hurt?" 

"Nah, although his rags are soaked with blood." 

Angel inhaled sharply and lifted the blanket carefully, which Spike had earlier wrapped around Giles. He immediately knew how everything linked together, but Angel couldn't yet combine the individual threads. He first had to speak with Giles. 

"Willow, go and make him a bath," he commanded with a neutral tone, "Spike, call the others, we need them for research." Angel was horrified, but he wouldn't allow them to know it, under no circumstances. They counted on his strength. 

When Willow and Spike had left the room, he sighed deeply. "Oh God, Giles, what are you involved in?" 

*** *** *** 

_Next morning_   
_Giles' Apartment_

Giles' deep slumber was disturbed by the flavour of fresh coffee and murmuring voices. Sighing, he slowly opened his eyes and folded his cover back. 

Blushing a deep red he found that he was completely naked. *Oh God, what have I done now? Did I sleepwalk again? What ought my neighbors think of me?* 

Giles got dressed as fast as possible and went downstairs to discover who dared to besiege his apartment in such an early hour. When he entered his living room, seven pairs of eyes looked towards him with the most different shades of emotions. 

"Uuh, g..good m..morning everybody", stuttered Giles somewhat clumsily. "Did something happen that you're all already here? A new prophecy?" 

"We wanted to discuss just the events of the last night," replied Buffy from her place on Riley's lap. 

"Yeah, G-man, somehow feel different?" Before Xander could say even more, Willow had hit him with the 'Morning Post' over the head. "Ouch, Wills, what was that for?" 

Drawing a deep breath Giles sat down on his favorite armchair and received the coffee offered by Angel thankfully. He was amazed by the concern he saw in Angel's eyes, which disappeared just as fast when he sat down next to Willow onto the couch. 

Spike, who stood behind Willow, stared intensely at her neck the entire time. After a while she became nervous, feeling someone standing behind her. She turned round and saw Spike scanning her neck. 

"What?" she asked irritated. 

"I don't know what you mean," Spike answered, dismissing her question. 

"I want to know why you're staring at my neck," replied Willow, vehemently. "And no lame excuses or saucy remarks, Mr.-Big-Bad-Ass-Vampire!" 

After a fast look in Angel's direction, Spike bent down to Willow and whispered in her ear, "Oh, I was only searching for his bite mark." 

Could it be that his voice sounded a bit jealous? Blushing a light shade of red, Willow recalled the kiss of last night and a pleasant shiver ran across her back. With lowered eyelashes, she looked up at Spike and she was so close to him that her warm lips touched his cheek. "There are also other places..." She left the rest of the sentence to his imagination. 

The unmistakable aroma of Willow's arousal suddenly disturbed Angel's thoughts. He swiveled in a surprised manner to her and saw Spike hovering above her. With a warning growl, that seemed to come from deep in his breast, he looked at the both them. 

"What are you talking so intensely about?" Angel wanted to know, although the only thing that really interested him was, why Willow was suddenly so excited and who had been the cause. 

Spike immediately knew that Angel was very annoyed with him and he straightened up instantly. "I only joked around a little bit with Red here, oh mighty Poofster". *Aha, my sire seems to have an eye on the small red-haired witch. I wonder how long the both need to admit their feelings for each other. That'll be a very interesting thing.* After Spike went to the other side of the room, Angel laid his arm possessively around Willow and pulled her more closely and Willow snuggled up to his cool body. As Angel's look went back to Giles, he saw that he was staring at something in the morning paper as though he were hypnotized. 

"Giles, what's wrong?" Angel asked concerned for the older man. 

""This woman", Giles stuttered, "I saw her yesterday in my dream. It was a dream, wasn't it?" During his question, all conversations immediately stopped in the room and all eyes rested on him. 

"We don't know, Giles," answered Angel honestly. "However, Spike found you in your room last night totally covered in blood. The only explanation which appears plausible to us is that you were sleepwalking last night and you ran by sheer chance into the corpse of the young woman." 

"Then...then it was nevertheless no dream. And I do not believe that I sleepwalked before", replied Giles, slightly irritated. 

"Perhaps you followed your deepest inner urges, Watcher," sounded Spike's voice from the kitchen. 

Blanching, Giles looked at his hands and then in Spike's direction. 

"Shut up, fangless, we don't need your sarcasm at the moment. If you have nothing better to do, then go and annoy the skeletons in their crypts", hissed Buffy while teasing Spike with her stake. 

Riley comprised her slim body with a firm grip in order to remind her that she shouldn't lose her composure over Spike's behavior again. Buffy sighed and leaned back against his comforting embrace. 

"Did you already have similar dreams before, Mr. Giles?" Riley researched and immediately slipped into the role of a soldier that guides an investigation. 

"I don't remember, but at the moment I am too deeply stirred to think straight." 

"Perhaps there were more cases recently. We should begin to remember our strong fortes and research", announced Willow and got up to go to her laptop. As if by command all fell in busy activity, as if they wanted to distract themselves in order not to think about the events of the last night. 

*** *** *** 

_Old Warehouse_   
_Same morning_

A coffeepot in the one hand and the morning paper in the other one, Ethan Rayne sat comfortably at his breakfast table. He read the police report about the brutal murder of a waitress during last night again and again. 

"I see, Ripper, you didn't lose your dexterity. Let's see whom you'll select as your next victim. Hopefully it'll be the little Slayer-slut or even better - the red-haired wannabe witch. Hmmm, the coffee is delicious." 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' apartment_   
_Same day_

After several hours of unsuccessful research Giles decided to send them all home. The group unwillingly broke up and said their goodbyes. No one noted the unholy light that flashed for a second through Giles' eyes when Anya left the house behind Xander. 

Before Angel followed the others with Willow, he took Spike aside and gave him some instructions. 

"I want you to stay here tonight, come up with an excuse. But regardless what'll happen, keep your eyes on Giles. I trust you." 

Spike looked up from his mug of blood in his hands amazed. Angel trusted in him? Spike suddenly felt dizzy. If he wouldn't already be dead, he would fallen at his sire's feet. He hadn't felt this overwhelming feeling of pride in over a century. Not since Angelus' curse and his disappearing. 

"Sure, whatever suits the mighty Poofster," he replied in his usual mocking tone in order to conceal his true feelings, "But you owe me, understood?" 

Shrugging his shoulder and without an answer, Angel turned around and followed Willow who waited outside for him. 

*Bloody hell, slowly I become a softy. Just like my old Dad!*   



	2. Parts 5 till 8

text enclosed in * * represents thoughts or feelings   


**Part 5**   
_Giles' Apartment_   
_Same Night_

Spike was bored to death. He had already drunk his fifth whiskey and had just opened his last pack of cigarettes. 

"Shit, is there nothing interesting on the telly tonight?" Impatiently he switched channels with the remote control and finally threw it –frustrated - on the table. A soft noise out in the corridor let him spin around, but despite his enhanced vampiric eyesight he couldn't detect anything in the dark. With a shake of his head Spike turned again towards the TV. 

"You're getting paranoid, Old Boy," he had hardly pronounced, when he felt a stinging pain in his neck. "Ouch! What the hell...." Incredulous, Spike stared at the little arrow in his hand and suddenly all began to spin around him. *Oh God, my sire'll kill me if something happens to the watcher.* Seemingly in slow motion, Spike tried to get to the stairs, but suddenly all sank into darkness. 

*** *** *** 

_Xander's Basement_   
_Same Night_

Xander and Anya were kissing passionately and tenderly. He pressed her down on the bed while Anya impatiently reached for Xander's shirt and fought with the buttons. 

"Xander!" an elder woman's voice was calling from above. "I desperately need of a gallon of milk and some eggs." 

Sighing, Xander wanted to free himself from Anya's sweet embrace, but her firm grip around his neck and her soft moist tongue which stroked over his lips let him forget everything else again. 

"Today, Alexander Lavelle Harris!" This 'request' was emphasized by a loud pounding from above the basement ceiling. Guilty, Xander winced. 

"Anya....Anya", without paying attention to Xander, Anya let her hands roam over his excited body. 

"Anya, stop it...!" With a lot of skill, Xander managed to release Anya's embrace and got up. "It won't be long...I'll be right back." 

Sulking, Anya looked at her boyfriend, "But I want to have sex now and not later!" 

"Come on, Anya, you know what my mother is like. We wouldn't have a moment's peace this night anymore!" Tenderly Xander put a strand of hair behind her ear. "And when I'm back, we'll have wild sex the whole night, promise." 

"Promise?" Doubtful brown eyes looked at him. 

"Really, cross my heart," with that Xander took the car keys and went to the door. 

"Better hurry up Xander. You've 15 minutes before I go and get me another passionate Californian lover", Anya called after Xander. 

A grinning Xander turned round again, "How dare you, you sexaholic old bag." And already he was gone. 

"Oohhh, I hate men!...But no, not all men, only certain details about them, ohhh....Harris!" Groaning, Anya sunk back on the bed. 

*** *** *** 

_Angel's Apartment_   
_Same Night_

Surreptitiously, Angel glanced at the clock by the fireside. 11:05 pm. With a soft sigh he tried to catch up with the conversation between Buffy, Riley and Willow. Willow, who had seen his glance to the clock, looked questioning at him. 

"Nothing", he mouthed in her direction. Buffy followed their little interlude with amusement and shoved Riley softly with her elbow. With an affected yawn she got up and dragged Riley along with her. 

"God, is it really so late? I promised Giles to make an extra patrol tonight." 

Riley laid an arm around Buffy's small waist and went with her to the door. Although he still felt uneasy in Angel's presence, he admired him for his strength, which had kept him alive till now. Willow and Angel escorted them to the door, but when Willow tried to follow the two, Angel held Willow back by her hand. 

"You don't have to come with us, Angel," Buffy referred to him, while she put on her jacket. "On our way to the graveyard we can drop Willow off at her house." 

"No, Willow stays here tonight," replied Angel without thinking. When three amazed and disbelieving pair of eyes looked at him, he recognized suddenly how his declaration might have sounded. Angel was grateful that vampires couldn't blush. "I don't want Willow to stay alone at home, her parents are out of town for two months again," he added lamely. 

With a willful twinkle in her eyes, Buffy anwered, "If you say so. But Willow could also...." 

"No!" Willow cut her short, only to get bright red. "No... I'd like to stay here... I mean... what I really want to say is... I'd feel safe." 

Riley looked at Willow's and Angel's intertwined hands and how she instinctively had moved up to him. He had to avert his face so nobody could see his grin. *So so, the two are in love, who would have thought that…* 

Before Buffy could say something more Riley took her by the elbow and pulled her out into the night. 

"Good night, we'll see you tomorrow at Giles'!" 

And with that said the two disappeared into the darkness. With a sigh of relief Angel shut the door behind them and led Willow back to the living room. 

A bit insecure, Willow turned around to Angel to ask him what that was all about, but his kiss let her forget every coherent thought. Longing and with the same consuming passion, she responded to his demanding kiss. Invitingly she opened her lips and instantly Angel's tongue began to explore the moist cavity of her mouth. Hot shudders ran down Willow's spine and, groaning, her hands slid on their own will over Angel's muscular chest. Angel couldn't believe with how much passion 'his' Willow responded to his kisses. He knew that they had to stop, but his demon whispered again and again with a tempting voice how right this was and when he suddenly felt Willow's gentle hands on his naked skin, he was done. With a low growl he let his hands glide to Willow's waist and under her T-shirt, while he kissed a moist path to her neck. Willow was burning from the inside when she sensed Angel's cool hands and lips on her heated skin. She was enraptured by the play of his muscles in the light of the fire – he could only be described as looking like a marble statue from Michelangelo. Willow simply had to taste him. She bent forward und ran her tongue from Angel's shoulder blade to his left nipple. Angel was absolutely overwhelmed from the emotions that flew through him. The heat of Willow's lips left behind on his skin seemed to burn him and when she playfully began to suck at his nipple he couldn't hold back his lustful moan any longer. Angel knew that it soon would be too late for him to stop - they will have gone too far. He only knew one thing with absolute certainty - that he loved this red-haired bewitching creature with every fiber of his body and soul and he must possess her. Reluctantly, he let go of Willow to gain some distance between them, but when he looked in her lust-filled eyes he was done and all rational thoughts left his mind. 

"Please, Angel," whispered Willow, breathless with passion, "I want to be yours." 

Angel didn't need to hear more. He picked Willow up on his arms, who tenderly cuddled up to him and carried her in his bedroom where he placed her carefully on the silk covered bed-sheets. Willow hardly could see anything in the dark and so she reached blindly for the shadow who loomed above her and dragged him down on her. Over and over again their tongues dueled in a passionate dance old as time itself while their hands explored one another's bodies. Soon all clothes were gone and Angel's lips trailed gently over Willow's, nibbling delicately at the soft curve of her smile. He buried his fingers in her fiery hair, his body searching for her warmth. Willow sighed and moved slowly against him simply enjoying the feeling of his caressing fingers. A shudder, which had nothing to do with the cold, ran through him. It was pure sensual desire. 

Slowly Angel shifted his body until Willow lay beneath him. Her scent, the feeling of her soft body and her delicious flavor, burnt him to death. *I really shouldn't do this,* he thought, even though his blood pulsed hot and wild through his veins. Willow's skin gleamed like a pearl and a silky shimmer lay between her beautiful young breasts. Velvety darkness gleamed on her nipples, which instantly reacted to the cold air and became tight erect buds. 

*Oh God, her mere sight is so exciting I'd come in an instant.* But he couldn't stop to look at her, except to touch her soft womanly forms, to taste and explore her. Angel bowed his head to her naked breasts and inhaled deeply. It was as if he took a deep breath of liquid fire. Tenderly he rubbed his forehead over one of her firm mounds. When he saw her velvety bud he couldn't resist any longer. Licking and sucking and reveling in her taste, Angel drew her nipple in his mouth. The sensations cursing through Willow's overexcited nipples flew straight to her core. Then she said, "Let me," and Angel rolled them over. 

Willow straddled him as he lay flat on his back, her knees on either side of him. He moaned with need as her sex pressed hotly against his stomach. He would have grabbed her by the waist and thrust up and into her, but Willow shifted position before Angel could move. She leaned forward, and his head strained upward to suckle her breasts once more while her fingers took a long, sweet time trailing fire across his chest and throat and belly. Willow kissed him then, her tongue as talented a dancer as the rest of her. He moaned low in his throat, and the sound turned into a demanding growl as he shifted them again. 

As ripples of pleasure shot through his loins and up his spine, his fingers stroked between her legs, teasing her moist, soft folds and the sweetly swollen nub. Willow forgot everything but the delicious waves of sensation overwhelming her. She'd never known pleasure like this, yet her body yearned for deeper, more intense passion. Her hips lifted with building hunger, her legs fell open before his gentle onslaught. 

"Please", Willow begged, her body shivering with unsatisfied lust. 

"Yes," Angel answered huskily, and loomed over her, thrusting deeply, smoothly, completely into her. Thunder rolled through her and lightning consumed her, but she was part of the storm, equal to him in fervor. Willow's need was terrifying, exhilarating, devastating, wonderful. 

As Angel's weight pressed Willow down she strained upward, meeting each thrust as their bodies fit perfectly together, skin gliding against skin in sweet friction. Her legs went around his waist and she clung there, muscles straining, urging him into her. When Angel felt her first waves of orgasm fly through her body he shifted into game face and bit gently into her pulse point and followed her over the edge with one last thrust. Slowly Willow recovered from her climax by the soft purring of Angel, who lapped contently the last drops of blood from her bite mark. Sleepily, she snuggled closer to his cool and comforting body, whispering their love for each other, and they both fell into an exhausted sleep. 

*** *** *** 

_Xander's Basement_   
_Same Night_

Anya heard a soft knock at the door and rolled her eyes in frustration. 

"How can only one person keep forgetting so many things," murmured Anya while she got up from the bed and went to the door. 

"Honey, I'm coming," shouted Anya with sarcasm dripping from her voice as she opened the door with a swing. But not Xander waited for her on the other side. It was a black-clad disguised figure, who held an foul-smelling cloth to her nose. Anya desperately tried to fight her attacker, but slowly her resistance died down until she was lifelessly slumped down in the arms of the black-dressed man. The last thing she heard was his insane laughter before all went dark. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 6**   
_Somewhere in Sunnydale_   
_Same Night_

When Anya slowly awoke, she sensed at first a terrible coldness. She had the feeling her head would burst at any moment and she had a disgusting and foul taste in her mouth. Anya tried to wipe her hand over her forehead but to her horror, she discovered that she was bound on an operation table. Even her head was bound, so that she could see almost nothing of her surroundings. 

"Ahh, I see my toy woke up after all," a croaking, inhuman sounding voice came from behind her head. 

Wildly pulling at her manacles, Anya hissed, "You perverted pig, how dare you! My friends are already looking for me and when they get their hands on you..." exhausted Anya ended her squirming when she felt his cold gloved hand wandering over her bare stomach. 

"Your boyfriend believes you're a screamer," inch by inch his hand slid higher, "let's test it!" 

And when Anya saw the cold sparkle of the knife in his hand she screamed as she never screamed before in her life. 

*** *** *** 

_Xander's Basement_   
_Same Night_

Xander had just brought the milk to his mother when he recognized the open basement door. 

"Anya, are you there?" he called from a distance. Soon he ran to the ajar door and pushed it fully open, but all he found was a total emptiness and a white cloth reaking of chloroform. Paling, Xander picked up the cloth with trembling fingers and sniffed it carefully. Disgusted, he jerked back, put it in his pocket and blazed a path to Giles'. 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' Apartment_   
_Same Night_

Totally out of breath, Xander reached Giles' home and pounded wildly against the door. "Open that damn door! I need your help!" When nobody answered him he reached for the door handle to rattle it. Astonished, he noticed that the door wasn't locked and so he entered the apartment, which laid in total silence with only the sound of the running tv. 

"Giles! Spike! Where are you?" he whispered into the silence. Carefully he groped his way deeper into the house, anxious to make no sound. A low moaning made him spin around at once. When he saw Spike lying at the foot of the stairs, he instantly ran to him and turned the half-unconscious vampire carefully on his back. A threatening growl and Spike's vampire face let him briefly recoil but Xander's fear for Anya was bigger. "Hey, Deadboy Jr., watch out! What happened here?" 

Amber eyes flashed furiously at him. "Fuckin' hell, shut up, Chap," hissed Spike through clenched teeth, "my head is killing me." 

Carefully Xander helped the swaying vampire on his feet and took him to the sofa. "Sit down, I'll get you some aspirin." 

When Spike had gratefully swallowed the pills, he exhaustedly leaned his head back into the pillows. "What do you want here anyhow, Chap?" Spike wanted to know, after the stabbing pain in his head slowly died down. 

"I believe someone kidnapped Anya," whispered Xander. 

"Who would really want to...," began Spike with one of his usual biting remarks, but when he saw Xander's terrified and haunted face, he swallowed the rest. "What makes you think that she's kidnapped?" he asked instead. 

Xander pulled the cloth out of his pocket, "I found this at the open basement door," and gave it to Spike. He scented briefly at it and nodded then. 

"Seems to be chloroform." 

"Shouldn't we wake up Giles?" Xander said finally. 

"He's not here," Spike replied. 

"How do you know that, huh. I found you half-unconscious at the foot of the stairs," Xander wanted to know angrily. 

"Only one heartbeat," replied Spike dryly. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" inquiring, Xander looked at Spike. 

"That means, that you're the only living creature in the house at the moment. And before someone else disappears we should inform the others." 

Hesitating, Xander nodded. 

"Ok, I pick up Peaches and you try to find Slutty and her boytoy, do you think you'll make it?" Again Xander only nodded and went wordlessly to the door. But just before he left the house, he heard Spike say, "And take care of yourself, Harris!" 

*** *** *** 

_Angel's Apartment_   
_Same Night_

Spike cautiously opened the apartment door with the extra key and let himself in. He still hoped that Angel wasn't at home so he'd find a plausible explanation why Giles, even though under his supervision, disappeared. But when he saw all the scattered garments in the room he immediately forgot about Giles and Spike's curiosity increased immensely. Quietly, he snuck to Angel's bedroom and soundlessly opened the door. The sight of the two naked entangled bodies on the bed and the of sex smelling air let his body react at once. Hungrily, he let his eyes roam over the greater body. Like in the past when they still were friends, hunting partners and yes, lovers as well, the athletic muscular body of his sire had nothing lost of his beauty. And nothing of his erotic radiation too, Spike had to admit when his rock hard erection pressed painfully against the front of his black jeans. He was just about to retreat soundlessly when he was pressed flat against the next wall. Like steel vices his sire's hands grasped his neck and pressed mercilessly. Yellow furious eyes flashed at him and a deep growl vibrated deep in Angel's chest while his fangs glittered like pearls in the moonlight. 

"Who gave you permission to enter my bedroom?" hissed Angel infuriated and pressed a little bit harder. Spike had the feeling as if to suffocate, even though he didn't need to breathe. Desperately he tried to say something, but he only could croak. 

"And who allowed you to stare at my mate, Childe?" The last word came out with a really threatening snarl. Angel didn't only look at this moment like the former Angelus - he behaved like him as well. Spike would have never thought that so much of his old sire existed in Angel. And he did the only thing that would rescue him at the moment - he bared his neck to his sire and offered his blood. But Spike wasn't prepared for the feelings, which flew through him, when Angel sank his fangs almost brutally in his pulse point and began to drink deeply. Liquid fire ran through Spike's veins and the last bitter century was wiped out. Only this exciting feeling existed when his sire drank from him. A small and disappointed whimper escaped him as soon as Angel's fangs retreated after only some gulps till Spike heard the soft purr and sensed the cool tongue which gently lapped the last drops of his blood from the fresh bite mark. Spike relished this momentarily bond between sire and childe and answered with the same soft purring. 

Willow, who had sat paralysed on the bed and had observed fascinated the exchange between sire and childe, wrapped the bed sheet around her naked body and carefully approached the two vampires. Angel, who sensed the nearness of his mate, stopped purring and wanted to turn around to her. But Spike's menacing snarl against Willow let him freeze and with a speed unnoticeable for the human eye he punched Spike in the face with his fist. 

"Wait for me in the living room and God forbid if you smear your blood on my couch…" With a last glance at Willow, who timidly snuggled up to Angel, Spike wiped at the blood that leaked from the corner of his mouth and pulled himself together to wait in the living room for his sire. 

Wordlessly Angel turned round to Willow and took her protectively in his arms. 

"What was that about?" whispered Willow, still under the shock of what she had just witnessed. 

"Vampire behavior," answered Angel, while he stroked her back soothingly. 

"But you behaved so...so-" 

"Wild? Animalistic?" Angel concluded the sentence for her. "I'm in the first place a vampire, Willow, and as such one I react to the behavior of other vampires. I don't want to pretend to be something or someone else even if it means to lo-" Willow's forefinger on his lips silenced him. 

"I love you just the way you are. I don't want to pretend that the scene from earlier didn't scare me but if you ever want to tell me what it's like to be a vampire than that is enough for me. I love you, Angel, my Mate." Tenderly Angel kissed the bite mark on Willow's soft neck before he lifted her up and brought her back to the bed. 

"I'd like you to stay in this room while I talk to Spike. Would you do this for me, Little One?" Willow nodded, eager to drown in Angel's dark brown eyes and gave him as an answer a long passionate kiss. After a long while Angel freed himself from Willow's tender embrace and quickly put on his trousers before he, after one last longing glance at his redheaded seductress, left the room. 

Spike impatiently slid around on the sofa. Not only did he hate not to budge for more than three minutes but also the unmistakable scent of the arousal from the two coming from the bedroom made it impossible for him to forget his own arousal and what it had caused. He was so lost in his thoughts that he winced in a frightened manner when he suddenly heard the deep gentle voice of his sire behind him. 

"May I ask you why you would rather play voyeur here than to carry out your put on task?" Even though Angel's voice sounded totally normal, Spike could see by the amber flickering in his brown eyes how hard it was for him to control himself. Submissively Spike cast down his eyes and thought carefully about how to master the situation at best. 

"Does the answer lay hidden on my carpet, Boy?" There he was again, the old Angelus, who Spike had loved and at the same time hated for so long and secretly had missed. Gathering all his courage, Spike straightened up and raised his eyes. 

"Bloody hell, I've really bad news for you, Angelus." Angel pretended not to have heard Spike's old reference to him and urged him to go on. "Someone broke into Giles' house tonight and put me out of action with a fuckin' poisoned arrow. When I recovered, Xander was there and Giles was   
gone." 

"Did you already inform the others, in order to help us with the search?" Angel wanted to know. 

"Xander's taking care of the slayer. But you haven't heard the worst yet, Angelus!" ended Spike with his report. Inquiringly, Angel looked into Spike's concerned iceblue eyes. "Anya was kidnapped." 

*** *** *** 

**Part 7**   
_Giles' Apartment_   
_Next Morning_

They had searched for the remainder of the night for Anya and Giles, but in vain. Exhausted, they had all had turned up at Giles' again, only to discover that Giles was peacefully sleeping in his bed. After a breakfast and Giles' explanation that he was well but couldn't remember anything of what happened last night, they all began with the feverish hunt for any information. To rule out that some demon or a new unknown prophecy was behind all of this, Giles and Xander drove to the Magic Box to plow through the books there. Angel followed them through the tunnels and would - after a short excursion to Willy's - meet with them. Willow tried in the meantime to hack into the police computer system. 

"Damn it!" whispered Willow, furious, after she came across the next seemingly invincible barrier. 

"Problems, Red?" came Spike's smug question much too close behind her. 

Willow clenched her teeth and swallowed her biting remark before she started her work again. Spike, who sensed her unease and found it to be great fun, moved closer still, but when he saw the fresh bite mark on Willow's neck, he stopped dead in his tracks. A menacing growl, which slowly rose in volume, made Willow turn in her chair. Frightened, she leapt up when she found herself suddenly up against a Spike in full vamp mode. Slowly Willow moved backwards, Spike following her with catlike grace, till a wall made a further retreat impossible for her. 

"Spike? Spike...please...what's going on?" whispered Willow anxiously and held up one of her small hands in defense. If it was possible Spike's growling got even more threatening, before he furious snarled through clenched teeth, "He bit you!" 

Automatically, Willow reached for her neck and covered Angel's bite mark. Spike leaned both hands against the wall, so that Willow was captured between them. When she looked in Spike's amber vampire eyes, Willow shut her terror-filled eyes and took a quivering breath, awaiting Spike's next move. 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' Magic shop_   
_Same day_

An exhausted Xander shut the book, which he had read for hours and took another one from the great staple before him. Giles and Angel too hadn't found any hint so far which referred to a new prophecy. And Willy wasn't a great help either. 

"Er...I fear that we...hmm....have to deal with something completely...er....else," Giles stumbled finally and polished his glasses before he put them on again. 

"Or we don't see the obvious," replied Angel and pushed the book away, when suddenly a wave of emotions rolled through him. Fear and pain! His mate was in danger and he wasn't there to protect her. Xander looked up alarmed and when he saw Angel jump up, he knew instantly what was going on. 

"Willow?" 

Angel only nodded and ran to the tunnels to reach Willow as fast as possible, but he knew that he wouldn't make it in time. 

"Come on, G-man, we should follow, " and already they raced to Giles' old car to follow Angel. 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' Apartment_   
_Same Day_

Spike was jealous of an 18 year-old schoolgirl. He couldn't believe it! But since he had become a helpless cripple with the chip in his head, he hadn't felt this furious. The closeness to his sire and the tentative recovery of their old friendship didn't bring just bad memories up, but also the old insecurities and bitter feelings. When Dru made him a vampire in those days and then just forgot about him because she had once again gone through one of her insane phases, he'd almost starved to death. Angelus had found him in his dark cold cellar and took care of him. From him he'd learned everything and Angelus also was the one who showed him what it meant to be a vampire. Spike had fallen in love with this demon when he first laid eyes on him - his fine sculptured and aristocratic face with these dark brown eyes, in which someone could drown if he looked to long inside. Angelus had declared soon afterwards Spike as his childe and took over Dru's claim. Of course, Angelus made fun of Spike's idolatrous love for him, but at night, when they came back together from a successful hunt and made passionate love, Angelus allowed himself the luxury to show Spike his true feelings. This all changed when Darla, Angelus' sire, came back and claimed almost every free minute of her favorite childe. Spike hated her with every fiber and rebelled against every order given by her, so that Angelus was always forced to punish him. This was the moment when the reticent poetic William slowly became the cruel and cynical Spike of today. And when Angelus disappeared in Romania after all and left Spike behind with two hysterical women, his feelings finally changed to hate. At least he had believed it, until Angel suddenly showed up two month ago in his crypt. And last night, when Angel bit him, all the old, deep buried feelings rose up again. And now he had to sit back and watch, when his sire paid attention to someone else. Spike didn't intend to harm Willow, but he had to know why his sire had made this shy red-haired witch his mate. And so Spike leant forward and pressed his lips on Willow's. Shocked, Willow tore her eyes open, when Spike's cool lips touched hers. Desperately she pressed her hands against his hard chest, but his low growl startled her and let her give in. After a short moment, Spike ended his kiss and licked over the fresh bite mark before he carefully bit the same spot. Spike wasn't prepared for the incredibly pure and sweet taste of Willow's blood. He sensed how she painfully winced and waited for the uninvited pain caused by the chip, but nothing happened, no pain, only this god-like sensation to drink human blood after all. After a long while he retracted his fangs from her jugular and licked, almost tenderly, the last drops, which dripped out of the wound, away. Then he studied her pale face almost lovingly. 

"I can understand why Angelus chooses you as his mate," Willow heard Spike softly and seriously say. Cautiously, Willow opened her eyes and saw that Spike wore his human façade again. 

"Why?" a confused Willow wanted to know. 

"Why what, Red?" replied Spike while he searched in the pockets of his leather duster for his cigarettes. Afterwards he went to the sofa and sat down with his Doc Marten's on Giles' coffee table. 

Willow kept an eye on him. "Why...why did you... just frighten me like that?" 

Slowly, Spike blew out the smoke of his cigarette, then he motioned invitingly at the seat beside him. When he saw the fear in Willow's eyes, Spike tried to lighten the mood with a joke. 

"Even though I'm starving and you're a very appetizing bite, Luv, would you please bring your cute little ass over here?" 

Willow took a deep breath and then went slowly to Spike to sit down beside him on the sofa with a stretch of distance between them. "What have I done that you hate me so much?" interrupted Willow's soft voice after a long silence between them. Astonished, Spike looked up from his cigarette, which tangled disregarded between his fingers. Lightly raising his scarred eyebrow, Spike looked at Willow. 

"Listen, Red, to get one thing totally straight, I don't hate you." When he saw Willow's doubtful look, Spike had the sudden urge to tell her the truth. Somehow he knew that he could trust in Willow completely, but Spike didn't know where to begin. "I-," clumsily Spike cleared his throat. "I'mbloodyjelousofyou," he concluded his explanation quickly and waited for Willow's laughter. When no such thing happened, however, he looked directly at Willow. To his amazement her eyes showed comprehension rather than amusement. "What, Red, no pert comment or remark?" Spike wanted to know. 

Carefully, Willow shook her head. She was totally surprised and unprepared by Spike's confession and wanted to avoid destroying the momentarily relaxed mood between them with an unwise reply. "I guessed something like that after Angel told me how close you two were." 

"Peaches talks about me?" Spike wanted to know, full of curiosity. "Bloody hell, what stories does my old pops tell about me then?" 

Willow was slow to answer, but perhaps here was the chance to sort things out between sire and childe. And so she hoped to do the right thing when she answered truthfully, "He misses his family and above all his favorite childe. Perhaps you'd-" before Willow could end her sentence, the door to the tunnels burst open and Angel appeared, his true face firmly showing. After a short look around the room for any threat for his mate, he relaxed a bit and his human feature appeared again. Relieved, Angel rushed at Willow's side and took her in his arm to give her a long passionate kiss. 

"I could sense your pain," whispered Angel into Willow's silky strands. Reassuringly, Willow stroked Angel's back and snuggled up into his arms. She wanted to prevent the happening that Angel would see her fresh bite mark until tonight when she'd have a plausible explanation. Angel's relief to find his mate unharmed lasted only one moment, when he suddenly noticed Spike's scent on Willow's skin. Over Willow's head he looked at Spike and when he avoided Angel's eyes, he knew that something had happened between them. Willow sensed how Angel's back muscles under her fingers tensed and a deep threatening growl rose in his chest. She had to avoid a fight between the two vampires under all circumstances. Willow knew from the watcher's diaries, which she had secretly read, that Spike had done something unforgivable and so she took Angel's vampire face, which had appeared again, into her hands and forced him to look into her eyes. Over and over again it flickered amber up in his eyes and his growling took on a possessive tone. 

"Mine," whispered Willow firmly, before she stood up on her tiptoes and claimed his lips in a passionate kiss. After a long time, Angel's growling slowly died down and he noticeably relaxed. Breathlessly Willow ended the kiss to take a deep breath. "I love you, my Mate." 

"And so do I, Little One, but I can't bear to think that I'd lose you to someone else," confessed Angel openly, too deep was his angst to get hurt again as with Buffy. 

"Trust me, Angel, nothing happened and it'll never be something between Spike and I. I am your mate, forever, if you want it," said Willow forcefully, while she stroked his cheek gently. Slowly, Angel nodded and gave her one last kiss, this time soft and full of tenderness. Shocked, both broke apart when suddenly the door flew open with a loud crash and Giles and Xander armed to the teeth burst into the room. 

"Fuckin' ace, the cavalry is here!" shouted Spike dryly. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 8**   
_Giles' Apartment_   
_Same day_

During the day Buffy and Riley joined them, but they too hadn't discovered news about Anya's whereabouts. Xander became increasingly worried the more time passed by. He called at home or in the surrounding hospitals again and again; however, Anya turned up nowhere. Meanwhile, the others were creating a plan to make the patrols more effective when the door bell rang at about 6:00 pm. Spike, who just came out of the kitchen with a fresh heated cup of blood, opened the door. 

"Xander, package for you!" he called to the back. 

*Why is a package delivered to Giles for me?* wondered Xander, while he signed the receipt and then carried the package into the living room. Carefully, he opened the lid and was astonished about the strange sweetish smell that came out of it. Spike and Angel, who recognized the smell at once, tried desperately to reach Xander before he could open the whole package, but it was already too late. White as a sheet, Xander looked inside the package before he quickly turned around and headed retching to the bathroom.   


Willow and Buffy, who came running into the room, were stopped by Angel's sharp command. "Don't get any closer!" 

"I don't believe that you can give me orders," protested Buffy indignantly and tried to come closer but Spike blocked her way demonstratively. 

"Bloody hell, you two better get your asses to the bathroom to help your friend and leave that effin' mess to my sire!" Buffy had never before seen Spike so serious. Wordlessly, she took Willow by her hand and dragged her with her to the bathroom from where a loud sobbing came. 

Angel was relieved when the girls left the room and hoped that Giles and Riley didn't come back from shopping at this moment. Carefully, he approached the package, took a deep and unneeded breath and lifted the lid. Gasping, and a hint more pale than usual, he quickly turned away. 

"What is it?" Spike wanted to know finally, even though he already suspected it. 

After Angel took some deep breaths, he looked straight into Spike's eyes, "Someone sent Xander Anya's skin." Disbelievingly, Spike wanted to go and see for himself but Angel held him back at his arm. "Just believe me this one time and help me to remove her mortal remnants before the others come back!" 

*** *** *** 

Xander sat slumped in front of the toilet and couldn't stop vomiting while the whole time tears where streaming over his deathly pale face. Although he had nothing more in his stomach, it choked him constantly again. As soon as he closed his eyes, he saw the horrible picture of Anya's meticulously folded skin. 

Buffy and Willow knew that there must have been something terrible in the package to make their best friend break down. Both tried with wet clothes and soft soothing words to pull Xander out of his shock but nothing seemed to help. After a long while they finally managed to pull Xander on his unsteady feet and to lead him out of the bathroom. 

On their way to Giles' guestroom, Willow whispered, "Do you think you can handle him a moment alone?" Buffy stifled a grin and nodded. "I'll hurry to the kitchen and look for Aspirin and sleeping pills." 

Willow recognized that Angel and Spike as well as the ominous package have vanished. She knew that the contents were connected to Anya, what else could explain Xander's fierce reaction? Just now in the seclusion of the kitchen, Willow realized slowly that Anya had to be dead. They were never really good friends but Anya made, in her own twisted way, Xander happy and when Willow thought about the brutal way in which the killer had slaughtered the waitress, everything went black for a second. Resolutely, Willow wiped the tears from her eyes, took the pills and went back to the guestroom. 

Xander lay completely apathetic on the bed and stared blindly at the ceiling. With the help of Buffy, Willow managed to give him the sleeping pills but when she tried to get up from the bed, Xander grasped at her wrist and pulled her down back at his side. Buffy wanted to step in but Willow shook her head and snuggled up to Xander, who instinctively lay an arm around her waist and pressed her firmly against his body. It was as if they were little kids again and they sought refuge with each other. After a long while, Xander's strong hold on her lessened and his breath became regular, he seemed to be finally have fallen asleep. 

"Do you think that the package has something to do with Anya?" whispered Buffy quietly as possible so that Xander didn't wake up. 

"She's definitely dead, Buffy," Willow whispered back. "He hasn't reacted so badly. Not even when Jesse died." 

"Will you cope?" Buffy wanted to know with a sad look at Xander and when Willow only rolled her eyes, she pointed to the door and said, "I'll go and check after the others. Later on I'll take turns with Xander, ok?" When Buffy went down, she saw Angel, Spike, Giles and Riley deepened into a conversation. 

"All right, boys," started Buffy resolutely as soon as she entered the room. "I want answers, ok?" inquiringly, Buffy looked from one to the other. 

Riley pulled her finally to him on the chair. "I don't think that you want to know every detail of the letter. Angel only told us so much that we've to assume that Anya is dead." Surprised, Buffy looked at Angel, but he shook his head imperceptibly. 

"I've just told them about the letter, which Xander received today." Comprehension dawned in Buffy's eyes. 

"Peaches and I have already initiated the funeral," threw Spike without his usual snidely remarks in. 

"How is Xander holding up?" asked Giles while he cleaned his glasses with his handkerchief. 

"Willow is with him. I suppose he's sleeping at the moment and in about two hours I'll take turns," said Buffy while she snuggled up to Riley. Angel got up and just wanted to leave the room to look after his mate when Buffy's voice held him back. "Please Angel, remember how long both have been friends when you enter the guestroom," warned Buffy cryptically since she knew of his jealousy. Frowning, Angel nodded and went upstairs. The sight which greeted him was truly not reassuring. His mate lay snuggled up to Xander, who had placed an arm firmly around her small waist. Unconsciously, Angel began to growl threateningly and Willow's eyes popped open at once. 

"Shh, you'll wake him up!" she whispered slightly reproachful and at the same time Willow tried to free herself from Xander's embrace. Angel couldn't stand the sight before him any longer, not after the event with Spike earlier today, and silently left the room. Willow panicked and only wanted to get to Angel, in order to explain everything to him, because he knew from Cordelia what had happened three years earlier in the old warehouse between her and Xander. After some effort, Willow succeeded finally to entangle herself from Xander's embrace and ran at once downstairs where she expected to find Angel. But when she entered the living room, he was nowhere to be seen. Willow hoped against her better judgment, Angel was in the kitchen drinking something. Reluctantly, she went to Giles and sat down beside him. 

"How did Xander handle the news about Anya's death?" Giles asked sympathetically. 

"He's asleep now," replied Willow almost absentminded before she anxiously asked Buffy, "Do you know where Angel is?" 

Before Buffy had a chance to answer her, Spike said, "He left ten minutes ago, Luv." When he saw her panicked look and sensed that she wanted to jump up to follow Angel, Spike reached for Willow's ice cold hands. "You'll not bleedin' follow him, Red, do you hear me? No soddin' matter what happened up there between you, it'll sort itself out again!" 

"Spike, you don't understand," begged Willow with tears forming in her emerald eyes, "he found me in Xander's arms and Cordelia has told him how in love I was with him....and then the incident with you this morning too!" In the meantime, Willow's emerald eyes swam in tears. Spike embraced her and tried to comfort her, he knew precisely how thick-skulled his Sire sometimes could be and hoped that Angel would listen to Willow's explanation. 

"Shh, Luv," he whispered reassuringly in Willow's silky hair while he tenderly rocked her in his arms. "I think I know where to find him, hmm? Now, Luv, be a brave little girl and wipe your tears away, so that we can sort all things out." At Spike's soft spoken words, Willow's tears almost ran dry. 

"Spike, I can't lose him," murmured Willow slightly sniffling in his t-shirt. Encouraging, Spike drew Willow on her feet. 

"We'll be back soon, " Spike called over his shoulder and left three astonished people behind. 


	3. Parts 9 till 12

Text enclosed in ** represents thoughts

**Part 9**

_The Old Mansion_

_Same night_

"Where do we go?" Willow wanted to know and tried to keep pace with Spike. When he noticed that she was out of breath, Spike slowed down. 

"I think he's in this old mansion, bloody good place to let out your rage," remarked Spike casually. If he knew Angelus at all, he was guessing that his sire had just demolished all of the mansion's furniture. The sooner they would arrive, the better for all persons concerned. When they entered the mansion through the side entrance, they already heard bursting glass and furious cursing from a distance. 

Willow came to a halt and took some deep breaths to pluck some courage. "I have to do this on my own, Spike. Would you please tell the others not to wait for me?" 

Respect for her flashed up in his azure blue eyes. "Be careful, Red, his demon has the upper hand on him, you could get hurt." 

"Angel would never hurt me," was Willow's indignant reply as she went to enter the house. But Spike held her back. 

"His soddin' demon is full of rage for you, Luv. You constantly declare how much you love both parts of my sire, but you claimed neither the man nor the demon." When Spike saw Willow's blank look, he sighed theatrically. "I thought, pet, that you're the brain of the club." With a shake of his head he dragged Willow a little away from the entry. "All right, Red, if you do everything how I tell it to you, tomorrow morning everything'll be an old hat. In the vampire world it's not sufficient to constantly say 'I love you'. Other vampires need a visible proof in order to give them no silly ideas." 

With his last words, it began to dawn on Willow what he was driving at. "Angel bit you to let all the other vampires know how much he loves you and that you belong to him. Since you haven't bitten him, apparently yet, his demon believes that your love oaths aren't meant honestly. Luv," Spike said forcefully and took her cold hands in his, "if you're able to come near him... and if you're completely sure that you love him for all eternity, and believe me, eternity means a long, long time, baby, then damn well bite him," Spike said, ending the longest speach he had ever held. 

"I'm absolutely sure, Spike," Willow assured him. Spike nodded and turned to leave, when he heard Willow softly add, "I'll do everything so that you get your sire back. I'll never get between you two." Spike looked over his shoulder, nodded briefly to acknowledge that he had heard her and vanished in the darkness of the night. 

*** *** *** 

Willow wiped her cold and sweaty palms on her pants and took a deep breath to calm her fluttery nerves, then she went in the direction from where she heard the loud noises of Angel's destruction crusade. She carefully opened the door and blanched at the sight of the heap of rubble. In the middle of the destruction stood Angel in his vampire face with all of the pictures that he had ever painted ripped to pieces. When Willow saw what Angel just destroyed, she could no longer stand back so she tried to stop him. As soon as Angel heard her, he turned with lightning speed to her direction and snarled dangerously. Willow had never seen him so furious and she skidded some feet away from him to an abrupt halt. 

"Angel," she said with a soft and reassuring voice, as if she was speaking to a predator right about to attack her, "Let me please explain it to you." 

Angel's only answer was a deep growl and the flashing of his fangs, before he turned back to his task of destroying his paintings. Carefully, Willow snuck forward, but had to stop when Angel's snarls became louder and more threatening. 

She suddenly recognized the picture in his hand, the only remnant of his family. Willow rushed forward and called out in despair, "Noooo!" 

With a menacing growl, Angel turned around and hit Willow in the face with his fist. From the impact of the unexpected punch, she dropped to the hard stone floor and slid several meters before a wall stopped her unconscious body. When Angel saw Willow's lifeless body, he awoke immediately from his fury and ran to her side. Gently he checked her body for any fractures and winced at the sight of her face where he had struck her. He slowly scooped her up in his arms as if she was made of fragile porcelain and carried her to Spike's old room. Willow thought she was floating and opened her eyes cautiously, but the severe pain in her head made her groan and shut them at once. Angel again winced guiltily at her moaning form. Deathly pale, he laid his precious weight on the antique bed and then withdrew into the shadows. Just when he turned the handle, Angel heard Willow's low voice. 

"Angel?" Paralyzed, Angel stood still. "Please...come back to me." Did she only imagine it or did his posture become a little bit stiffer? "Is the great Angelus afraid of a little girl?" Willow attempted another tactic and gasped in surprise when from nowhere suddenly Angel in full vamp-mode loomed above her. 

"Don't try to play games with me, little girl, you can only lose," Angel hissed angrily. Willow, who knew how close to the surface the real Angelus was, was acquainted with his weakness and tried to take advantage of it. Under narrowed eyelashes she looked up into his dark face. 

"You're not half as interesting for me as Angel." She barely finished speaking, when he already attacked her. Brutally, he pressed his lips on hers and forced them apart to explore almost violently with his tongue the soft cavern of her mouth, while his hands kneaded her soft breasts painfully. Willow was barely able to breathe and felt nausea rise up in her throat. All her pent-up fears of Angelus crashed down on her, but suddenly she could hear clearly Spike's voice. "You must bite him...you must bite him..." With all her strength Willow began to fight against Angelus' attack, who released her surprised. Grinning smugly, he glanced at her flushed face and messed up clothing. "You're a cute little brat, perhaps you have more fire than the lousy slayer." 

At the sight of his mocking grin, which Willow so loved on Angel, she flipped out. She slammed into Angelus' body with a yell of sheer rage. This let him reel back on the bed under her onrush and Willow straddled his hips. 

"Mine!" said Willow loud and firmly, before she bent down and bit with her blunt teeth into Angel's neck. When she tasted the unique slightly salty flavour of his blood, she lost all coherent thoughts and began to drink. Only when Willow heard Angel's content purring, she slowly lifted her head and looked into his now again soulful brown eyes, which gleamed full of love and passionate fire. "Do you believe now, that I only love you, you silly vampire?" murmured Willow and kissed him long and tenderly. 

Angel couldn't quite comprehend what just had happened, had Willow really bitten him or was it only another one of his daydreams again? Carefully he touched his neck and looked at his bloody fingertips in surprise. "Do you know what you did, Little One?" Angel wanted to know, but Willow only shrugged her shoulders and then lapped at the remaining blood on his fingers. The touch of her moist tongue on his skin drove Angel almost crazy with need and with a groan he rubbed his obvious erection at her hip. Quickly she stood up and undressed before she straddled his hips again, her own need to be with her mate too great. 

Angel couldn't stop touching his fire goddess, brief brushes with his fingertips across her cheeks, her throat. His thumb gently traced her lips and Willow couldn't stop herself from kissing it and drawing it seductively between her teeth. His breath caught in a sharp gasp of response and his large cock throbbed even more. Willow began to move over his erection and slowly unbuttoned his silk shirt. Exposing his muscular chest, she let her short fingernails scratch down from his shoulder blades to his waistband where she provocatively pulled down the zipper of his pants and freed his aching cock. 

Angel looked deep into her eyes and said in a tone, mixed between authority and seductive charm, "Touch me." 

Willow's emerald eyes locked with Angel's almost black ones and she could feel the heat of her passion seep from between her legs. "I will touch you," whispered Willow; her heart began to race and her hand trembled slightly, as she comprehended what she would do. "But you have to lay still. Promise me that you don't move." 

Angel managed a wry smile. "I can't give you that promise, Little One, I lose my self-control just when you look at me." 

Encouraged by his words she took his pulsing shaft into her small hand. Angel's only response was the clenching of his fists in the bed sheets and a low moan. 

At first Willow felt a bit uneasy and stroked Angel's hard cock only softly. But motivated by his constantly rising passionate groaning, she grabbed him harder. Angel closed his eyes full of longing and took a trembling breath, only to let them fly open again in surprise, when he sensed Willow's moist lips around his cock head and how she gently began sucking on it. Unconsciously, he moved his hips and wanted to sank deeper into her warm wet mouth, but he forced himself back to immobility. Willow tasted a salty liquid seeping from the tip of his pulsing cock and found the aroma exciting. Getting braver, she let Angel's cock slip deeper into her mouth and stroked the thick vain on the underside with the tip of her tongue. When Willow began to caress Angel's testicles with her other hand, he couldn't stand it any longer. Yelping he pulled her away from his twitching cock. "Kiss me," Angel whispered huskily and pulled Willow down on his waiting mouth, which hungered for the taste of her lips. 

The sigh, which she heard, was her own. She let herself pull down from Angel, and when her mouth covered his, she opened her lips to receive his searching tongue. She melted, relishing every inch of his body, which touched hers, and quivered when their tongues danced together. During the kiss she further stroked him, squeezed and caressed him with a courage and confidence, which she didn't knew she possessed, till now. Angel could feel his balls tighten under her ministrations and knew that he was near his orgasm, but he didn't want it to end so fast. When he took his hand from her neck to lay it around her waist, Willow sighed in disappointment. She loved the way he stroked her hair. Just when she wanted to tell him, that he shouldn't stop his stroking, his hand gripped one of her ass cheeks and his fingertips slid stroking firmly near the point where her hottest sensations burned. Slowly he slid a finger in her wetness and gently began to pump it in and out of her while she writhed and bucked in ecstasy against the palm of his hand. After a while Willow couldn't stand it any longer and she felt a surge of desire spread through her belly and pussy. 

"Aaaaaaangel," yelled Willow as the first waves of her desire crushed through her. With lightning speed, Angel changed her positions and thrust his aching cock in the warm moist depth of her womanhood. With deep strokes he pushed into her and Willow wrapped her legs around his waist to take Angel even deeper into her tight cunt. Angel tried desperately to fight his demon down but to no avail. When Willow rode moaning to her next orgasm, she clenched his hard pounding organ with her inner walls and Angel fell over the edge. With a roar he spilt his cold dead seed deep into her womb and bit savagely into her sweaty neck. 

*** *** *** 

Totally spent, Angel licked the remaining drops of Willow's sweet and intoxicating blood from her bite mark and then rolled, still buried deep within her, on his back. With a blissful sigh and quite exhausted, Willow snuggled against his hard chest. Tenderly Angel drew designs with his fingertips on Willow's small back. 

"Just ask," urged Willow. 

"What makes you think that I would like to ask something?" Angel counter questioned in an innocent tone, he just hoped that his Willow'd let him drop the topic. Angel really didn't know if he was prepared for her answer yet. Had she bitten him because she was so furious about him or because she wanted to be really bound to him for all eternity as his mate? It was really hard to say - he only knew that his demon had retired completely satisfied in the depth of his mind. For the first time in almost a century there was no rage, no bloodlust and no fighting...just calmness and comfort. 

"Either," said Willow propping up on one elbow and kissed tenderly Angel's tip of his nose, "you ask me now directly", a kiss on his left eyebrow, "or", a kiss on his right eyebrow, "you immediately stop the brooding." A kiss at the corner of his mouth and Willow felt how Angel's cock swelled within her. "But when I reflect on it, I really want something else of you now." Slowly Willow straightened up and sensually rotated her small hips, which elicited a growl of pure desire from Angel. He laid his hands on her hips to guide her movements, but Willow slapped his hands away playfully. "What now?" Under half-closed eyelids she looked down on him. 

"What?" asked Angel a bit breathless and totally absentminded. All his senses were focused on this fire-goddess, who rode him into total bliss. Groaning, Angel thrust his hips up to sink deeper into her warmth and his soft brown eyes were melting with pure lust and desire. Willow rested her hands on his broad shoulders and bent down till her fiery hair spilt over his chest like a fan and whispered in his ear, "For all eternity." 

"I love you so much, Little One," Angel stated solemnly and changed their positions in one swift move. Lowering his body on top of her, he began to stroke in and out slowly, letting her feel the entire length of him going in, filling her and then withdrawing almost completely and thrusting in again. Gradually, the speed of his strokes increased as he felt the tension mounting within him. She was moving her hips in rhythm with his strokes as if they had been making love for many years and knew each others' timing perfectly. Once more, forcefully, almost urgently, he claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss, letting his tongue explore, meeting the resistance of her tongue as he invaded her mouth. They were building higher toward that ultimate climax. 

"Mmmm," he moaned in her ear, "come with me, sweetling," as his balls erupted shooting dead cum up inside her just as she felt her body go into a spasm that signaled her own orgasm. They lay together, spent for a few short moments and then he rolled onto his back, pulling her onto her side against him. 

They lay there in sated contentment with her head on his shoulder and his arm holding her tightly against his body for what must have been only a few minutes but seemed like forever to her. Then he turned, kissed her gently and asked, "Are you OK?" 

"Yes," she replied with a sleepy smile. 

"No regrets?" Angel wanted to know, not yet quite convinced. 

"None," Willow assured him, kissing him deeply again. Then they lay quietly side by side, enjoying the feel of their bodies touching in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Softly they whispered to each other, speaking of the wonder at their union and how it came to be, till Morpheus claimed their exhausted bodies. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 10**

_Cemetery in Sunnydale_

_3 Days Later_

Anya's funeral was held at night so that the two vampires could also take part. A soft breeze rustled through the leafs of the old oak trees and whispered a coming storm. Only few people had found their way here because Anya didn't make many friends in the short time as a human, but those who now stood at her grave mourned deeply, with lowered heads, over her death. And so nobody saw the dark figure standing in some distance, looking full of satisfaction when the coffin was let down into the dark earth and feasted his eyes on Xander who was collapsed in tears. Rubbing his hands in anticipation of what his old friend Ripper would plan next, Ethan Rayne withdrew deeper into the shadows of the old trees and left, softly whistling through the cemetery. 

Riley and Giles helped Xander up and accompanied him to the car. For three days he hadn't spoken a word nor left Giles' house. Only in Willow's range, Xander seemed to relax a bit. 

Willow looked full of pride at the bite marks on Angel's neck, who stood talking with his childe in some distance. Despite his enhanced healing abilities, the scar of the bite mark was still visible. Buffy couldn't resist any longer and finally wanted to satisfy her curiosity. When she saw Willow's proud owner look, she couldn't stiffle her giggle, but stopped at once when she became aware of her surroundings. A bit embarrassed, Buffy cleared her throat. 

"Yes, I'm really happy," Willow anticipated Buffy. 

"No more macho scenarios of jealousy?" Buffy wanted to know next, still vividly remembering Angel's outburst from three days ago. 

Frowning, Willow thought it over, before she honestly answered, "Since I claimed Angel," a slight blush covered her cheeks in the memory of this night, "he's much calmer and balanced. He's barely worried now, when I spend some time with other men... that's with one exception." 

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Xander?" she bet. 

Bewildered Willow looked from her mate at Buffy. "It's Spike of course... how do you only come to the idea that it could be Xander?" wanted Willow to know with a compassionate shake of her head before her glance moved back to Angel. 

Buffy opened her mouth... and then shut it again. "Spike... sure," Buffy mumbled to herself irritated, "how could I only assume that Angel would consider 'the great love of your life' as a rival." 

"Doesn't he look gorgeous?" Willow sighed dreamily as if she hadn't heard Buffy's comment. Looking heavenwards, Buffy went to the car and joined Giles and Riley to drive back to the apartment. 

"This two are worse than lovesick cats," she complained and pointed with her thumb at Willow and Angel. 

"Jealous?" Riley asked casually, but Buffy couldn't be deceived. She lovingly gave him a kiss. 

"I've everything to make me happy found within you," Buffy whispered in his ear before she leaned back again in her seat. Relieved, Riley smiled at her and started the car. 

*** *** *** 

Willow approached Angel from behind and flung her arms around his waist. "What are you both so intensely talking about?" Willow wanted to know, while she rubbed her cheek at his back. 

Spike, who saw how Angel's eyes became dark with lust at the touch of his mate, felt the overwhelming urge to say something shocking. "Oh...ye know, Luv, we only discussed the endless possibilities for a hot three-some tonight." 

Willow had to laugh heartily at Spike's innocent face and husky tone, although she knew that he meant it seriously in some parts. Angel was torn from his erotic dreams and smacked Spike's head. 

"Ouch, what was that for?" wailed Spike and rubbed the back of his aching head. 

"Ya know, me boy, what I have told ya yesterday concerning me mate," Angel emphasized with flickering amber eyes, "and now get in the car, we're late." 

While Angel helped Willow into the car, Spike grumbled under his breath, "Who says that I meant Red?" 

*** *** *** 

_Somewhere in Sunnydale_

_In the Middle of the Night_

Although no further murder had happened in the last week, they had decided nevertheless to only go on patrols in pairs. All researches came to nothing and the group assumed that it was 'only' a sadistic murderer who maybe had moved on to the next unfortunate town. 

Buffy sat with Riley on a park bench. They looked like a couple in love, kissing, touching and whispering words of love to one another, but over and over again their eyes traveled watchful over their surroundings. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Riley was hit by an electroshock and slumped down immobile with a cry of pain. Buffy jumped up and turned around in fighting pose, when she suddenly received a kick in the back which sent her reeling on her stomach. Reflexively she rolled around and leapt to her feet, but a powerful blow into her face with an iron hard fist, breaking her nose, made her lose again her balance. Buffy was constantly in defense mode and not able to attack, much less that she could hurt or stop the masked man. It was as if her attacker would know every one of her moves in advance and would only play cat and mouse with her. Buffy felt her strength grow weaker with every passing minute, her nose bled and she hardly got enough air. With a desperate action she jumped high in the air and tried simultaneously with a spin of her body to kick the masked man with her left foot but he dodged with ease. Buffy tried desperately to slow down her swing with a flight-roll when she suddenly felt the electricity shoot through her body and with a loud thud she landed totally immobile on the grass. Trembling, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. Tears of rage poured from her eyes, but when nothing happened, she opened them again. Helplessly she had to witness how the attacker swung Riley over his shoulder and vanished in the darkness. Half an hour later Buffy was finally able to move again and she limped as soon as possible back to Giles' apartment. 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' Apartment_

_Same Night_

Xander awoke by a strange noise coming from Giles' bedroom. Drowsily he wiped over his eyes and listened intensely, but when he heard nothing more then Giles' usual snore, he laid back down and tried to sleep through the rest of the night without any nightmares. 

*** *** *** 

Spike had made himself comfortable on Giles' couch and drifted into sleep when suddenly Buffy burst into the room. Her deranged sight let Spike's dead heart bounce with joy, but when she collapsed on the floor he stood up with a deep sigh and went to her side. Picking her up, he carried her to the couch. 

"Little fight between lovebirds?" Spike asked with a smirk. Buffy couldn't prevent the tears coming to her eyes and she wiped them furiously away with her bloody hand. "This bastard grabbed Riley," replied Buffy with slightly quivering voice. 

"You're sure that it was that bloody wanker and not a soddin' demon?" Spike wanted to know. 

Exhausted Buffy shook her head, "There's no doubt." 

"Alright, let's go, perhaps we still can catch the bastard," said Spike and reached for his leather duster. 

"Stop, Spike, it's raining and all hints will be gone already...besides I can't use you at the hunt." When Buffy saw Spike's hurt look, she added, "The guy is a human being. You wouldn't have the touch of a chance against him, just look at me!" Annoyed, Spike threw his duster back over the chair. 

"Ok, I go and wake Chaps and the watcher. We have a lot to discuss." Spike was already on the stairs when he heard her question. 

"What about Angel? Should I call him?" 

"The two lovebirds will come by this morning anyway. Besides, they wouldn't hear the phone yet." He roared with laughter at the sight of Buffy's red face, and went further upstairs. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 11**

_Giles' Apartment_

_Same Night_

"It was as if he knew me," Buffy ended her report. 

"And how could that be?" Xander demanded to know and took for the first time part at a conversation since Anya's death. 

"Perhaps our enemy lives unnoticed amongst us all the time," voiced Angel carefully his suspicion, which he had since Anya's disappearance. But he was not prepared for the outcry of denial and indignation that crushed down on him. Encouraging, Willow pressed his hand. 

"I will search the police archives a second time, perhaps I missed something," declared Willow and pulled Angel with her to her laptop to get him out of the way. 

"Ähem....perhaps we all should calm down...yes...calm down and then...then we can think about what happened," Giles ruminated and sipped at his tea. 

"As in the case of Anya?" Xander said bitterly and stormed out of the room. 

Embarrassed they looked at each other and winced when they heard Xander's door slammed shut. 

Buffy although stood up. "All that we do is talk talk talk. I can't wait here any longer, Giles, I must do something or I'll get crazy." She then took her jacket and started again her search for her vanished lover. 

Spike looked questioning at his sire, who indicated with a nod that he should follow her through the tunnel. 

*** *** *** 

Xander, Giles and Angel didn't stay at home long after Buffy left and were now searching on the other side of the town in the abandoned warehouses. Angel had hesitated to leave his mate alone, but Willow could convince him finally that she felt totally safe at Giles' apartment. 

At about noon Willow took a little break. She hadn't found anything specific, only an old newspaper article from the late twenties about a little town in the north of Oregon where 10 people were murdered in the same way as in Sunnydale, but the murders from Sunnydale were definitely not the work of a ghost from the past. With a shake of her head and slightly hungry, Willow went into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich. Yawning, Willow stretched her aching muscles and wished Angel was here to give her one of his famous back massages. She just entered the living room again when the doorbell rang. Frowning she placed her plate at the coffee table and opened the door. 

"Buffy Summers?" asked the supplier friendly. Willow shook her head, "No, but I'm her friend. Perhaps you could give the package to me?" 

"Ahh, then you must be Miss Willow Rosenberg, right?" the supplier guessed. Willow nodded insecure. "It's ok Miss. I'll give the package either to Miss Summers or to you. Would you be so kind and sign here?" 

Willow signed the delivery paper and carried the package into the living room. After half an hour she couldn't resist any longer and opened slowly the package, after all it was for her too, Willow reassured herself. At first she saw thousands of blood-red rose petals and she inhaled deeply the sweet scent. Knowing that there must be more hidden in the package, she dug carefully under the petals and found a box in the form of a heart. *Who would make such a present to Buffy or me?* Willow thought surprised. With a shrug she grabbed the box and opened it. The contents froze the blood in her veins and with a shriek Willow fainted for the first time in her life. 

*** *** *** 

_An Old Warehouse_

_Same Day_

Riley swam on a wave of sheer pain. He didn't know how long he was already here, but it had to be at least the next day. This monster, he couldn't think of another name, had made things with him, which went far beyond what the training of the Initiative had taught him. Pain was a part of him before, but now Riley had to learn, that he knew nothing about real pain. The dull throbbing in his left hand told him, that she was still there, but he didn't know how much was left. And worst of all was Anya's skinned body with her bloodied grimace which constantly stared at him, as soon as he opened his eyes. With a pained sob he shut them again and listened to every noise, which perhaps told him when his tormentor would return in order to end his deed. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 12**

_Giles' Apartment_

_Same Evening_

Spike went almost elated through the tunnel and dragged at his cigarette. All in all it was a really good day for him. The mere look of pain and despair on the face of the slayer was enough to follow the order of his sire willingly. Of course, Slutty's search for her farm boy was unsuccessful and wore her out even more, until she went to her mother to seek comfort. Spike already felt sorry for Joyce. When he returned to the watcher's apartment, Spike had suddenly felt a familiar tingle in his stomach, as if his dark princess was back in Sunnyhell, but that couldn't be. She was after all in Brazil shaggin' her demon meat. Whistling, Spike opened the door to the apartment and went straight to the kitchen to warm up some blood. Since he heard no noise, Spike assumed he was alone in the apartment, until he sensed the slow heartbeat of a human. Sipping with appreciation, Spike went into the living room. When his eyes fell on Willow's unconscious form laying before the couch, his cup fell unnoticed, with a loud clatter, down on the floor. Immediately he was at her side and lifted her carefully in his arms to carry her to the couch. Willow's head lay nestled on his lap while Spike inspected her for any injuries, until he saw the package on the table. With a gentle gesture he stroked a silky strand of Willow's red hair out of her face. 

"Red....Red....wake the hell up," Spike tried to wake her up in a soft whispering voice. But he had to wait a long while before Willow opened her eyes. With a horrified scream Willow threw herself at Spike and clung to him. 

"Hey Red...careful, you're crumpling my duster....now tell Uncle Spikey what happened, hmmm?" Spike wanted to know and tried at the same time timidly to come loose out of Willow's clasp. But he only succeeded in that Willow clung even more firmly to him. *If my sire finds us like this, I'm immediately a pile of dust* Spike thought with grim humour. 

"Ri... Ri...Riley", Willow stammered into his shirt. 

*Come on Red, give me a little bit more* "It's the package, right?" asked Spike carefully, upon which Willow began to hyperventilate. "Obviously, you moron," Spike chided himself and tried at the same time to get Willow to breathe again. "Breathe Red, come on, breathe, in... out... in... out," Spike urged Willow with a panicked voice to breathe in a calm way. After some endless seconds, her respiration calmed down again; however, she further clung firmly to Spike as if he was her lifebelt. And so sat Spike with Willow in his arms, slowly rocking her, till her slow breathing signaled him that she was finally asleep. Then the door to the apartment flung open and Spike was almost relieved. Almost. 

When Angel saw his mate in the arms of his childe, he stood rooted to the spot at the door. *Trust Angel...trust* Swallowing his rage and jealousy, Angel carefully approached the couple on the couch. Spike, whom the calm controlled manner of his sire more frightened him then anything else, started to explain everything when Willow suddenly struggled free from him and took shelter in Angel's strong arms. 

"Oh God, Angel....say that it's not true...please," imploring green eyes looked into Angel's chocolate brown and confused ones. Comfortingly, Angel hugged his mate and winced at the strong smell of fear which emanated from her small body. 

"Little One, what frightened you so much?" asked Angel while he gently stroked Willow's cheek. But Willow didn't want to talk now, she simply wanted to forget in the arms of her mate. Demanding, she pressed her lips on Angel's cool mouth and rubbed her hips provocatively at his body, which instantly responded to her erotic motions. Groaning, Angel picked his mate up in his arms, without interrupting the passionate kiss, and carried her in Giles' guestroom. 

"What the devil....?" began Xander, who had just arrived with Giles, and pointed with his thumb at the disappearing couple. 

"Red got a shock from that package on the table." He patted his hands along his duster in search for his cigarettes. "Found her unconscious and when she woke she totally freaked out. Well," explained Spike and lit his cigarette, "now they shag like rabbits... as therapy. It's usual among vampires." 

"Uhhhh," said Xander and wrinkled his nose, "I soooo don't need to know the ins and outs of this." 

"We should perhaps examine this box to find out why Willow felt such panic," Giles announced and cautiously grabbed for the box as if it could explode in any moment. With a shake of his head, Spike took the box from him and opened the lid. With a disgusted look Spike tried to close the box before Giles and Xander could have a look at the contents. 

"Are these..." began Xander deathly pale only to be interrupted by Spike, who threw the closed box back on the table, "Yep...fingers. Five, if you ask me. Think Farm boy has a problem now...." 

"Keep your mouth shut, both of you!" exploded Giles, completely unusual. After his outburst he went to his bar and poured himself a large shot of his best whiskey, which he then drained in one gulp only to take another one. 

"And who will deliver the news to the slayer?" Spike finally disturbed the silence. 

*** *** *** 

_Same Night_

_An Old Warehouse_

The door opened with an unholy squeak and roused Riley from his pain-induced sleep. A shudder went through his cold body when he heard the hoarse voice of his tormentor. 

"Your whore loved your present, tin-soldier," probing hands slid over Riley's lower body and made him shiver in fear. "Too bad she wasn't the one who opened it first." 

Riley couldn't suppress a painful moan when he felt the knife cut into his side. "Perhaps she'll love this present even more." With frigid cruelty the man poked for Riley's kidney. 

"Aaaaaaahhhhh," screamed Riley at the top of his lungs before the pain was too much and he sank into deep unconsciousness. 

"Now.. now, my little tin-soldier," croaked the man and wiped the tears from Riley's face, "you have so much more to give..." He washed the kidney and wrapped it carefully in a sheet of satin paper. "And now I have a meeting with my other guest." He roared with laughter and wanted to leave the dungeon when he caught sight of an old bloodied porcelain doll which laid on a desk near the door. "She definitely wants to speak with you, my dear!" he murmured and closed the door behind him, "or perhaps not... it could be a little bit difficult without her tongue..ha ha ha .....doesn't matter...ha ha ha .... she can still communicate with the stars....ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...." 


	4. Parts 13 till 15

text enclosed in * * represents thoughts or feelings 

**Part 16**   
_Buffy's home_   
_Same night_

Buffy pulled herself up to the windowsill of her room and climbed ungrazefully inside. She breathed heavily and brushed a blonde sticky strand out of her eyes. When she passed by the mirror, she stopped in shock. Who was the person staring back at her? Her clothes were all covered with dried blood and there was a blood trail drawn across her left cheek. But the worst were her hands, looking as if bathed in blood. Suddenly she realized what she had done a short while ago and tears dropped unnoticed down her dirty cheeks. Did she really killed Spike a minute ago? Or was it all just a nightmare? The brutal murder, Riley's and Anya's mysterious disappearances. Again she looked at her bloody hands and suddenly Buffy couldn't stand the pain inside any longer. What had she done? Had she become the same as the 'Sunnydale Murderer'? Unscrupulous with a tendency to sadism? With a loud sob Buffy toppled on her bed and wept bitterly 'til an uneasy slumber settled down on her. 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' Apartment_   
_Same Night_

Willow was glad to be in bed finally. Although she missed the strong arms of her lover, the emotions that she recieved from Angel through their bond gave her the much needed peace to get to sleep at last. 

"Wills, are you awake?" Xander whispered and folded his hands behind his head. 

With a yawn Willow spun slowly around on her back. "Hmmm?" 

"Spike will be ok, won't he? Not that it will bother me if Deadboy Jr...." Xander swallowed hard. 

Tired Willow laid her head on Xander's shoulder. "It really didn't look bright at first but at the moment Angel is very-," Willow searched for the right words without revealing to much about the telepathic connection with her mate, "-content." 

Xander acknowledged her slight hesitation with a small grin. He tucked her head under his chin and pulled her tighter to his body. "Good, I would miss him." 

*** *** *** 

_Next Morning_   
_Giles' Apartment_

Buffy had been up for two hours already and tried her best to make breakfast in Giles' kitchen. 

"Morning, Buffster," muttered Xander sleepily and lumbered to the fridge where he poured a glass of orange juice. 

"Morning, Xander, slept well?" Buffy returned cheerfully before she carried on with the breakfast preparation. 

Xander leaned against the fridge and watched Buffy's movements. "Like a little baby. But tell me who had thrown you out of bed so early? And why are you making breakfast? Are you possessed or something?" 

Buffy shrugged her shoulders before filling 4 plates with scrambled eggs and ham. "I just felt the urge. Could you please help me a bit?" 

While they set Giles' dining table, Xander suddenly mentioned, "Did you already hear? Someone tried to stake Spike last night." 

Buffy set down the cups with a fierce clang. "Really?" she mumbled and swiftly went back into the kitchen. 

Totally baffled, Xander wanted to follow her when Willow and Giles came downstairs. 

Willow gave Xander a big hug. "Wow, Xander, what did we do to deserve this?" 

Xander hugged his eldest friend and replied with a snicker, "Be glad that I'm not the cook. You have to thank Buffy for it." 

Xander felt Willow got stiff in his arms and then abrupt disentangling herself from him. When he saw her flashing green eyes, he got queasy. "Willster, anything wrong?" 

Before Willow could answer, a cheerful smiling Buffy came out of the kitchen with a pot of coffee. "Good morning together. I hope you're really hungry, I've certainly made too much." 

Willow couldn't believe it. Buffy pretended as if nothing had happened. Outraged, she blocked Buffy's way. "How could you?" she hissed enraged. 

"Yeah I know that you hate wastage-" Buffy tried to act the fool. 

Willow's eyes flashed and took on a dangerous green tinge. "How dare you to play down such a brutal and unscrupulous deed in such a succinct way? You're the slayer! You have to bear responsibility for the ones who help you!" 

"Wills, what that's all about?" Xander broke in on her flaming tirade and looked puzzled from one girl to the other. 

Giles who also had watched, totally shocked by Willow's outburst, now stepped forward and layed one hand on her shoulder to calm her. "Willow, would you please explain to me what this is all about?" 

With a further irritated look at Buffy, who hadn't said one word yet, Willow turned around to Giles. When Giles saw tears glisten in her expressive eyes, he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. 

"Last night Angel brought Spike home... more dead than anything else... he was so pale and than all the blood everywhere..." Willow's voice broke. 

"Ehem... sure... bad matter... but why do you relate all this to Buffy?" Giles asked perplexed. Demandingly, he looked at Buffy, who only shrugged her shoulders and took a seat next to Xander. 

Willow sniffled and blew her nose. "We found the remnants of a stake between Spike's ribs, deeply embedded in his lungs... he was in so much pain that Angel could feel him even over a great distance." 

Giles was at a loss of words. He knew that Buffy and Spike weren't best friends but normally they held a truce and a bit of respect for each other. "Hmm... Buffy, is it true what Willow just told us?" he asked a bit insecure. *What would happen to their little group if they started killing each other.* 

Buffy lowered her gaze guiltily at her entwined hands. "I- I didn't mean to, but Spike provoked me... and.. and suddenly I had the stake in my hand. From there on everything happened so fast and I ran away... home," sad and exhausted, Buffy looked at her watcher. "Please, Giles, you have to believe me that I didn't hurt Spike on purpose." 

With a disdainful snort Xander pushed his chair back and went to Willow's side. 

"Xander! Please... as a slayer-" Buffy began imploringly. 

"What," Willow cut her short outraged, "is it now your duty to kill your friends?" 

Giles thought it was time to interfere and pour oil on troubled waters. "Please, first we should all calm down-" 

"And then what Giles?" asked Xander, "Do we go on as if nothing has happened?" 

Giles swallowed hard and took off his glasses to clean them as he always did when he was nervous. "N-no, of course not. After all w-we went through together, there will never be normality for us again. But I'm certain that we will conclude, after careful consideration, that Buffy acted on pure instinct. Just one moment, I'm not done," said Giles when Willow and Xander wanted to cut him short. "We're all nervous wrecks, but I hope that we will act as adults and give Buffy the chance to explain." 

Buffy looked at Giles grateful, glad to have him on her side, but the anger in his eyes didn't hide how disappointed he was with her and her deed. "Ok, I'm sorry. I know I messed it up... really big this time and if I could I'd try to undo last night, but that's not possible. As soon as Spike is better I'll apologize to him." 

With a shake of her head Willow turned round and left the apartment without another word. 

"Oh boy, Buffster. I wouldn't like to be in your shoes when Deadboy finds out who tried to kill Spike." 

Giles cleared his throat and fussily put on his glasses again. "I fear he already knows it. I can only hope that Angel will not let himself get controlled by his emotions but rather be considerate of the whole situation. And now I beg to be excused. I have to visit a forgotten friend." He took his jacket and keys and left the apartment quietly, leaving behind a hopeless slayer and a curious young man. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 17**   
_Angel's apartment_   
_Same morning_

Spike snuggled closer to the hard solid body of his sire with a satisfied purr. Oh God, how long ago was it that he had felt so content? 100 years? More? He could feel Angel's thoughts and feelings humming through their blood-bond. Fear to have almost lost his childe forever. Rage against the one who hurt his favourite childe. Love and contentment to have his companion back after such a long time of loneliness. Spike sleepily opened his eyes and studied the man beside him dreamily. The delicately chiselled features with the long dark eyelashes, the hard muscles of the broad chest, the long shapely legs and all that belonged to him. Damn... he had almost forgotten the small red-haired witch, who had stolen the heart of his sire. Spike's gaze searched the dim room, but he couldn't detect the evidence of another person. 

"Stop thinking," whispered a dark sensual voice into Spike's ear and sent a shiver down his spine. Angel nibbled tenderly at Spike's earlobe before he kissed the auricle. Just when he let roam his hand over Spike's arm, the younger man drew back. 

"Bloody hell, what do you think you're doin' there, you soddin' pouf?" 

For seconds Angel froze before he relaxed again and continued his action of kissing and licking a moist path 'til he bit into the blonde's pulsepoint with his blunt teeth. "How does it feel?" Angel murmured sensually. 

A shudder ran through the blonde vampire's body and he tried to repress his passion-filled moan. Angel could feel how troubled Spike felt through their blood-bond. He almost believed he sensed something like fear. Hesitantly, but full of passion, he kissed Spike's lips before he reluctantly pulled back and stood up. 

"I'll go and heat up some blood, ok?" Before he left the room, Angel turned around at the door and let his gaze travel longingly over his childe's gorgeous body. 

When Spike heard Angel working in the kitchen, he tried to gain control over his body. But every time he closed his eyes, he could feel Angel's soft lips against his neck and his cock grew even harder if that was possible. 

"Damn! Damn! Damn!" Spike cursed under his nonexisting breath. When he couldn't stand it any longer he enfolded his rigid member with his left hand and began to stroke it, slowly up and down. He spread the pre-cum over the tender skin, to use as lube, with his thumb. In his mind's eye it was not his own hand but his sire's, which tightly, but also tenderly, encircled his turgid shaft. With a groan, Spike's other hand rubbed against his sack like Angelus' had done in the past. 

Angel stood undiscovered by the door, the two cups of blood forgotten by the erotic sight greeting him. Each passing second and every move of Spike's hand increased Angel's arousal. The dark vampire's erection stood up proudly, leaking with pre-cum. With care, Angel set down the cups on the commode and slid beside his childe on the bed. Angel still couldn't quite believe that this beautiful creature was a part of him again. As a matter of fact, not all was like it had been between them in the past, but they had laid a basis for a new beginning the past night. Mesmerized, the older vampire stared at the purple glans of Spike's erect cock and the increased flow of pre-cum. Angel licked his suddenly dry lips unconsciously, before he bent down to take Spike's rigid member into his mouth. 

When Spike felt a wet mouth envelope his over-sensitive penis and the slight sucking, he almost came at once. Baffled, he looked at the dark head of his sire which bobbed up and down between his legs. Angelus, despite his feelings for his favourite childe, had never done this for him. All of a sudden it didn't matter any longer if his sire had a soul or not, if he had a mate or not, 'cause Spike knew with absolute clarity that he had reclaimed his own place in the big heart of the mighty poof. 

Angel sensed how Spike drifted away and doubled his efforts to bring him to an exquisite climax. He sneaked his hand under Spike's butt who raised his hips unconsciously with every flick of Angel's tongue. When the dark haired vampire heard Spike's lust-filled whimper, he gently inserted one and then two fingers into his rectum. Spike's eyes snapped open and he cried out when Angel hit his prostate with his fingers. "God, Aaaaangel!" One last flick from his sire's tongue against his oversentive cockhead and Spike came. 

When the first spurts of his childe's cum hit his tongue, Angel's human visage vanished and his true face emerged. With delight, he drank every salty drop of the blonde's sperm until Spike's frantic movements slowed down. With a devilish grin, Angel cut Spike's softening cock with one of his fangs and sipped the escaping droplets of his childe's sweet blood. Spike couldn't stand the suction on his spent member any longer and began to squirm causing Angel to raise his head instantly. When the blonde saw his sire lick the rest of his blood and cum from his sensual lips, he pulled Angel to him and passionately kissed him. Spike could taste himself on Angel's lips and grew hard again instantaneously. Their cocks rubbed against each other and Angel moaned with lust, becoming aware of his own pulsing erection. Heat spread through his groin and he could feel his balls tightening. With a shudder, he came in great spurts, closely followed by his childe's second orgasm. 

Afterwards, Angel and Spike lay side by side sated and exhausted. 

"You chose really well," said Spike finally and put one arm under his head. Angel had forgotten how erratic his childe's mind worked and furrowed his brow. "Red doesn't mind if I live with you, does she?" 

With a grin, Angel propped himself up on his elbow and returned, "Perhaps you both should arrange that among yourselves, even though... nah, better not, afterwards you two will fight for me like two old fishwives." 

"Hey you big ponce, who says that we can't manage without you? Red is a bloody appetizing bit..." Angel pinned Spike down into the cushions. A deep warning growl emanated from his chest before he bit the younger vampire's jugular hard, but not hurting. With every gulp of Spike's heated blood, Angel's growls became quieter until he purred. Spike pressed tighter against Angel's hard body and rubbed his resurrected erection at the pulsing shaft of his sire. The blonde vampire shut his passion-clouded blue eyes and thanked whoever was listening above for vampire stamina. 

*** *** *** 

**Part 18**   
_Café in Sunnydale_   
_Same day_

Giles entered the café in Sunnydale, searching for Edgar Pembrook, an old friend from the London headquarters. He saw him sitting in the furthest corner of the room and went quickly to the table. 

"Hello Edgar, nice to see you again after such a long time," he greeted his friend and shook his hand. 

A small smile appeared at the corners of Edgar's mouth. "Aye, Rupert, it's quite good to meet you again. But the circumstances couldn't be worse." 

"When I got your call, I already thought as much. Is it a new prophecy? Is Buffy in danger?" Giles pestered his friend. 

"Rupert, it's much more serious than you think. Two weeks ago our seers found out a drastic change in the world pattern. An enormous dark power, who could destroy the whole balance between good and evil, appeared on the scene." 

"But... thank you, Geraldine," Giles poured himself a cup of tea and tried to handle the new information. "That means the 'Sunnydale murderer' is not an ordinary mortal. Is that what you want to tell me, Edgar?" 

"Did you know, that your old pal Ethan Rayne is back in town?" Edgar asked instead of an answer. When he saw Giles' surprised expression, he nodded. "I have heard on good authority that Ethan has his fingers in the pie. You have to find him, Rupert, and end what he began. Your slayer must not die. Melissa is not ready yet to take her place." 

Giles shook his head sadly. "My slayer isn't a great help at the moment, she's very unstable. Last night... last night Buffy tried to kill a friend." Giles swallowed and tried to pull himself together. "Do you know where I can find Ethan?" 

Edgar shivered by the sudden rage flickering in Giles' eyes. "We lost his track in one of the old warehouses. Rupert, please be careful, Ethan is a powerful magician. He has gained strength since your last encounter." 

It was difficult for Giles to regain his composure. *Ethan, you Pillock, what have you done this time?* 

Edgar Pembrook bent forward and said sternly, "With everything you do, be aware of the global effects if you fail." With a glance at his watch, he added, "I hope next time we will meet under better circumstances in London. Oh, by the way, the council voted in its last meeting for your reinstatement as an official watcher. I'm really happy for you, Rupert, and of course for your slayer." 

"Thank you, Edgar. I really can imagine how many favors you had to demand," Giles replied deeply moved. 

"Nonsense!" Edgar Pembrook refused roughly. "You underestimate your reputation, Rupert. You have more friends at the council than you know." Edgar stood up and shook hands with Giles. "All right! It's time to say goodbye. I hope you are successful.. for all of us." 

After Edgar had left the café, Giles sat at his place and nipped at his tea, absorbed in thought. *God, Ethan. What has he done this time? Halloween and Eyghon had been bad, the case with the enchanted cookies rather grotesque. But the summoning of a mass murderer? It was somehow not Ethan's standard, too many incalculable risks.* 

Determined, Giles stood up, paid the bill and left the café towards the old warehouses. 

*** *** *** 

_Giles' Apartment_   
_Same Time_

Buffy went into the bathroom and splashed cold water into her tear stained face. She could already feel a headache form behind her eyes. 

Suddenly, she heard Xander's voice behind her, "Do you feel better now?" 

"Xander!" Buffy twirled around, startled, but Xander had already left the room. She quickly dried her face and followed him into the sitting room, where he sat on the sofa, pretending to read a book. Slowly Buffy went over and sat down beside him. 

"Xander, do you believe me, that I'm sorry?" Buffy sounded like a lost little girl. New tears melted her view. 

"Sssh, it's ok," Xander whispered and took Buffy comfortingly in his arms. "You were not yourself last night. Give us some time." He stroked gently over Buffy's back. After a long while her tears slowly run dry and she wearily snuggled closer into his arms. 

When the front door opened and Willow came in, she stopped in the door frame for a second to gaze at her friends, before she resolutely shut the door. 

"Willow," Buffy whispered tear choked again, looking over Xander's shoulder at her long time friend. 

Slowly Willow came closer, until she stood directly before them. Her eyes still glittering with rage, she laid her hands on her hips. "I can't approve of what you did last night. But I'll to help you. Leave Angel and Spike to me, I'll try to explain what you're going through." 

When Buffy opened her mouth, Willow held up her hand. "No, Buffy! I'm not doing this for you, but for all of us. I'm doing this for us, the gang. We rely on each other and must stick together. But you should never forget, that you changed everything tonight." 

Gratefully, Xander squeezed Willow's hand and mouthed, "Thank you." 

*** *** *** 

**Part 19**   
_Old Warehouses_   
_Same Time_

Deep in thought, Giles approached the area of the old warehouses. *Where are you, Ehan? Where would you hide?* A cold breeze puffed him in the back and send a chill down his spine. 

Giles looked undetermined across the place. "Hmm, where should I start?" He turned to the left. Again a cold breeze, slightly stronger, pushed him in the right direction. Giles tumbled forward, regaining his balance. 

"Crazy!" mumbled Giles. "But it's really unimportant, where I start. So the right side it'll be." He noticed that he had talked to himself and chuckled. "You're getting old, Rupert!" 

Giles turned to the buildings on his right side and started to observe them closely for the tiniest hint. 

One hour later he was still searching. *Nothing! One hour of searching and still nothing!* He was on the verge to look on the other side of the street, when he suddenly felt it. Like a magical pull, coming from the last building at the corner. Cautiously, Giles entered the dark building and went straight to the first floor, where he halted in front of a large metal door. He rose unsteady his hand to knock at the door. With a loud squeak the door flew open and he stood before Ethan Rayne. 

"Hello, Ripper! Ahh no... I should better say 'Rupert', " Ethan saluted with a smirk and asked Giles in with a grand gesture. 

Enraged, Giles pressed his hated opponent against the next wall. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear when we last met. Why are you back, Ethan?" 

"But, Rupert," retorted Ethan with a mischievous glitter in his eyes, "you should know me. Have I ever done what you expected from me? Where's the funny thing about it?" 

Slowly, almost resigned, Giles loosened his hold on Ethan's jacket. He wearily ran a hand through his hair. 

"Ethan, just tell me which demon you summoned this time and I will let you go." 

Ethan looked disappointed at his former friend and now favourite foe. "God, how pathetic have you become, Rupert! Where's your fighting spirit?" He searched for a reaction, anything, but all he saw was weariness and resignation. "Really, Rupert, you take every joy of conspiring from me. Think of the whole effort which I had to go through, the amount of time, which I-" 

Giles couldn't endure it any longer. With a yell of rage, he rammed his fist in Ethan's grinning visage. 

"Aaargh, my nose!" Ethan Rayne wailed and shielded his bloodied aching nose with his hands. "You broke my nose, you cretin!" 

"And when you don't tell me the name of the demon at once, I will break your jaw too," Giles hissed seething with rage. 

Ethan, feeling the gravity of his situation, tried to fight back desperately, but Giles' hold on his throat made it almost impossible. 

"The name, Ethan!" Giles snarled and squeezed harder. 

Ethan gasped for breath, frantically clawing with his fingernails at Giles' hands, who felt no pain, nothing, in his current state of rage. 

"Alright, Ethan, you asked for it! We will end it, now and forever," said Giles and increased the deadly pressure on Ethan's throat. 

Ethan realized the deadliness of his situation and croaked, "Ripper..." 

"Wrong answer, Ethan," Giles replied with deadly seriousness. 

In total panic, Ethan tried to speak, "J... J--ack....Rip-...Ripper." 

Only reluctantly, Giles opened his clenched fingers and Ethan panted for much needed air. 

"Jack, the Ripper," Ethan repeated with a trembling coarse voice, just to play safe. 

Horrified Giles remembered the Watcher Diaries about this murderer and with a scream he sent Ethan to sleep. 

"Oh my God," Giles whispered, "you maniac brought back the worst human beast that ever roamed the earth." 

With a last glance at a defeated Ethan Rayne, Giles hurried back to his apartment. At least, now they knew what they had to look for.****


	5. Parts 16 till 20

text enclosed in represents thoughts or feelings

**Part 16**

**_Buffy's home _****_Same night_**

Buffy pulled herself up to the windowsill of her room and climbed ungrazefully inside. She breathed heavily and brushed a blonde sticky strand out of her eyes. When she passed by the mirror, she stopped in shock. Who was the person staring back at her? Her clothes were all covered with dried blood and there was a blood trail drawn across her left cheek. But the worst were her hands, looking as if bathed in blood. Suddenly she realized what she had done a short while ago and tears dropped unnoticed down her dirty cheeks. Did she really killed Spike a minute ago? Or was it all just a nightmare? The brutal murder, Riley's and Anya's mysterious disappearances. Again she looked at her bloody hands and suddenly Buffy couldn't stand the pain inside any longer. What had she done? Had she become the same as the 'Sunnydale Murderer'? Unscrupulous with a tendency to sadism? With a loud sob Buffy toppled on her bed and wept bitterly 'til an uneasy slumber settled down on her.

**_Giles' Apartment _****_Same Night_**

Willow was glad to be in bed finally. Although she missed the strong arms of her lover, the emotions that she recieved from Angel through their bond gave her the much needed peace to get to sleep at last.

"Wills, are you awake?" Xander whispered and folded his hands behind his head.

With a yawn Willow spun slowly around on her back. "Hmmm?"

"Spike will be ok, won't he? Not that it will bother me if Deadboy Jr..." Xander swallowed hard.

Tired Willow laid her head on Xander's shoulder. "It really didn't look bright at first but at the moment Angel is very-," Willow searched for the right words without revealing to much about the telepathic connection with her mate, "-content."

Xander acknowledged her slight hesitation with a small grin. He tucked her head under his chin and pulled her tighter to his body. "Good, I would miss him."

**_Next Morning _****_Giles' Apartment_**

Buffy had been up for two hours already and tried her best to make breakfast in Giles' kitchen.

"Morning, Buffster," muttered Xander sleepily and lumbered to the fridge where he poured a glass of orange juice.

"Morning, Xander, slept well?" Buffy returned cheerfully before she carried on with the breakfast preparation.

Xander leaned against the fridge and watched Buffy's movements. "Like a little baby. But tell me who had thrown you out of bed so early? And why are you making breakfast? Are you possessed or something?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders before filling 4 plates with scrambled eggs and ham. "I just felt the urge. Could you please help me a bit?"

While they set Giles' dining table, Xander suddenly mentioned, "Did you already hear? Someone tried to stake Spike last night."

Buffy set down the cups with a fierce clang. "Really?" she mumbled and swiftly went back into the kitchen.

Totally baffled, Xander wanted to follow her when Willow and Giles came downstairs.

Willow gave Xander a big hug. "Wow, Xander, what did we do to deserve this?"

Xander hugged his eldest friend and replied with a snicker, "Be glad that I'm not the cook. You have to thank Buffy for it."

Xander felt Willow got stiff in his arms and then abrupt disentangling herself from him. When he saw her flashing green eyes, he got queasy. "Willster, anything wrong?"

Before Willow could answer, a cheerful smiling Buffy came out of the kitchen with a pot of coffee. "Good morning together. I hope you're really hungry, I've certainly made too much."

Willow couldn't believe it. Buffy pretended as if nothing had happened. Outraged, she blocked Buffy's way. "How could you?" she hissed enraged.

"Yeah I know that you hate wastage-" Buffy tried to act the fool.

Willow's eyes flashed and took on a dangerous green tinge. "How dare you to play down such a brutal and unscrupulous deed in such a succinct way? You're the slayer! You have to bear responsibility for the ones who help you!"

"Wills, what that's all about?" Xander broke in on her flaming tirade and looked puzzled from one girl to the other.

Giles who also had watched, totally shocked by Willow's outburst, now stepped forward and layed one hand on her shoulder to calm her. "Willow, would you please explain to me what this is all about?"

With a further irritated look at Buffy, who hadn't said one word yet, Willow turned around to Giles. When Giles saw tears glisten in her expressive eyes, he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.

"Last night Angel brought Spike home... more dead than anything else... he was so pale and than all the blood everywhere..." Willow's voice broke.

"Ehem... sure... bad matter... but why do you relate all this to Buffy?" Giles asked perplexed. Demandingly, he looked at Buffy, who only shrugged her shoulders and took a seat next to Xander.

Willow sniffled and blew her nose. "We found the remnants of a stake between Spike's ribs, deeply embedded in his lungs... he was in so much pain that Angel could feel him even over a great distance."

Giles was at a loss of words. He knew that Buffy and Spike weren't best friends but normally they held a truce and a bit of respect for each other. "Hmm... Buffy, is it true what Willow just told us?" he asked a bit insecure. What would happen to their little group if they started killing each other.

Buffy lowered her gaze guiltily at her entwined hands. "I- I didn't mean to, but Spike provoked me... and.. and suddenly I had the stake in my hand. From there on everything happened

so fast and I ran away... home," sad and exhausted, Buffy looked at her watcher. "Please, Giles, you have to believe me that I didn't hurt Spike on purpose."

With a disdainful snort Xander pushed his chair back and went to Willow's side.

"Xander! Please... as a slayer-" Buffy began imploringly.

"What," Willow cut her short outraged, "is it now your duty to kill your friends?"

Giles thought it was time to interfere and pour oil on troubled waters. "Please, first we should all calm down-"

"And then what Giles?" asked Xander, "Do we go on as if nothing has happened?"

Giles swallowed hard and took off his glasses to clean them as he always did when he was nervous. "N-no, of course not. After all w-we went through together, there will never be normality for us again. But I'm certain that we will conclude, after careful consideration, that Buffy acted on pure instinct. Just one moment, I'm not done," said Giles when Willow and Xander wanted to cut him short. "We're all nervous wrecks, but I hope that we will act as adults and give Buffy the chance to explain."

Buffy looked at Giles grateful, glad to have him on her side, but the anger in his eyes didn't hide how disappointed he was with her and her deed. "Ok, I'm sorry. I know I messed it up... really big this time and if I could I'd try to undo last night, but that's not possible. As soon as Spike is better I'll apologize to him."

With a shake of her head Willow turned round and left the apartment without another word.

"Oh boy, Buffster. I wouldn't like to be in your shoes when Deadboy finds out who tried to kill Spike."

Giles cleared his throat and fussily put on his glasses again. "I fear he already knows it. I can only hope that Angel will not let himself get controlled by his emotions but rather be considerate of the whole situation. And now I beg to be excused. I have to visit a forgotten friend." He took his jacket and keys and left the apartment quietly, leaving behind a hopeless slayer and a curious young man.

**Part 17**

_**Angel's apartment ****Same morning**_

Spike snuggled closer to the hard solid body of his sire with a satisfied purr. Oh God, how long ago was it that he had felt so content? 100 years? More? He could feel Angel's thoughts and feelings humming through their blood-bond. Fear to have almost lost his childe forever. Rage against the one who hurt his favourite childe. Love and contentment to have his companion back after such a long time of loneliness. Spike sleepily opened his eyes and studied the man beside him dreamily. The delicately chiselled features with the long dark eyelashes, the hard muscles of the broad chest, the long shapely legs and all that belonged to him. Damn... he had almost forgotten the small red-haired witch, who had stolen the heart of his sire. Spike's gaze searched the dim room, but he couldn't detect the evidence of another person.

"Stop thinking," whispered a dark sensual voice into Spike's ear and sent a shiver down his spine. Angel nibbled tenderly at Spike's earlobe before he kissed the auricle. Just when he let roam his hand over Spike's arm, the younger man drew back.

"Bloody hell, what do you think you're doin' there, you soddin' pouf?"

For seconds Angel froze before he relaxed again and continued his action of kissing and licking a moist path 'til he bit into the blonde's pulsepoint with his blunt teeth. "How does it feel?" Angel murmured sensually.

A shudder ran through the blonde vampire's body and he tried to repress his passion-filled moan. Angel could feel how troubled Spike felt through their blood-bond. He almost believed he sensed something like fear. Hesitantly, but full of passion, he kissed Spike's lips before he reluctantly pulled back and stood up.

"I'll go and heat up some blood, ok?" Before he left the room, Angel turned around at the door and let his gaze travel longingly over his childe's gorgeous body.

When Spike heard Angel working in the kitchen, he tried to gain control over his body. But every time he closed his eyes, he could feel Angel's soft lips against his neck and his cock grew even harder if that was possible.

"Damn! Damn! Damn!" Spike cursed under his nonexisting breath. When he couldn't stand it any longer he enfolded his rigid member with his left hand and began to stroke it, slowly up and down. He spread the pre-cum over the tender skin, to use as lube, with his thumb. In his mind's eye it was not his own hand but his sire's, which tightly, but also tenderly, encircled his turgid shaft. With a groan, Spike's other hand rubbed against his sack like Angelus' had done in the past.

Angel stood undiscovered by the door, the two cups of blood forgotten by the erotic sight greeting him. Each passing second and every move of Spike's hand increased Angel's arousal.

The dark vampire's erection stood up proudly, leaking with pre-cum. With care, Angel set down the cups on the commode and slid beside his childe on the bed. Angel still couldn't quite believe that this beautiful creature was a part of him again. As a matter of fact, not all was like it had been between them in the past, but they had laid a basis for a new beginning the past night. Mesmerized, the older vampire stared at the purple glans of Spike's erect cock and the increased flow of pre-cum. Angel licked his suddenly dry lips unconsciously, before he bent down to take Spike's rigid member into his mouth.

When Spike felt a wet mouth envelope his over-sensitive penis and the slight sucking, he almost came at once. Baffled, he looked at the dark head of his sire which bobbed up and down between his legs. Angelus, despite his feelings for his favourite childe, had never done this for him. All of a sudden it didn't matter any longer if his sire had a soul or not, if he had a mate or not, 'cause Spike knew with absolute clarity that he had reclaimed his own place in the big heart of the mighty poof.

Angel sensed how Spike drifted away and doubled his efforts to bring him to an exquisite climax. He sneaked his hand under Spike's butt who raised his hips unconsciously with every flick of Angel's tongue. When the dark haired vampire heard Spike's lust-filled whimper, he gently inserted one and then two fingers into his rectum. Spike's eyes snapped open and he cried out when Angel hit his prostate with his fingers. "God, Aaaaangel!" One last flick from his sire's tongue against his oversentive cockhead and Spike came.

When the first spurts of his childe's cum hit his tongue, Angel's human visage vanished and his true face emerged. With delight, he drank every salty drop of the blonde's sperm until Spike's frantic movements slowed down. With a devilish grin, Angel cut Spike's softening cock with one of his fangs and sipped the escaping droplets of his childe's sweet blood. Spike couldn't stand the suction on his spent member any longer and began to squirm causing Angel to raise his head instantly. When the blonde saw his sire lick the rest of his blood and cum from his sensual lips, he pulled Angel to him and passionately kissed him. Spike could taste himself on Angel's lips and grew hard again instantaneously. Their cocks rubbed against each other and Angel moaned with lust, becoming aware of his own pulsing erection. Heat spread through his groin and he could feel his balls tightening. With a shudder, he came in great spurts, closely followed by his childe's second orgasm.

Afterwards, Angel and Spike lay side by side sated and exhausted.

"You chose really well," said Spike finally and put one arm under his head. Angel had forgotten how erratic his childe's mind worked and furrowed his brow. "Red doesn't mind if I live with you, does she?"

With a grin, Angel propped himself up on his elbow and returned, "Perhaps you both should arrange that among yourselves, even though... nah, better not, afterwards you two will fight for me like two old fishwives."

"Hey you big ponce, who says that we can't manage without you? Red is a bloody appetizing bit..." Angel pinned Spike down into the cushions. A deep warning growl emanated from his chest before he bit the younger vampire's jugular hard, but not hurting. With every gulp of Spike's heated blood, Angel's growls became quieter until he purred. Spike pressed tighter against Angel's hard body and rubbed his resurrected erection at the pulsing shaft of his sire. The blonde vampire shut his passion-clouded blue eyes and thanked whoever was listening above for vampire stamina.

**Part 18**

**_Café in Sunnydale _****_Same day_**

Giles entered the café in Sunnydale, searching for Edgar Pembrook, an old friend from the London headquarters. He saw him sitting in the furthest corner of the room and went quickly to the table.

"Hello Edgar, nice to see you again after such a long time," he greeted his friend and shook his hand.

A small smile appeared at the corners of Edgar's mouth. "Aye, Rupert, it's quite good to meet you again. But the circumstances couldn't be worse."

"When I got your call, I already thought as much. Is it a new prophecy? Is Buffy in danger?" Giles pestered his friend.

"Rupert, it's much more serious than you think. Two weeks ago our seers found out a drastic change in the world pattern. An enormous dark power, who could destroy the whole balance between good and evil, appeared on the scene."

"But... thank you, Geraldine," Giles poured himself a cup of tea and tried to handle the new information. "That means the 'Sunnydale murderer' is not an ordinary mortal. Is that what you want to tell me, Edgar?"

"Did you know, that your old pal Ethan Rayne is back in town?" Edgar asked instead of an answer. When he saw Giles' surprised expression, he nodded. "I have heard on good authority that Ethan has his fingers in the pie. You have to find him, Rupert, and end what he began. Your slayer must not die. Melissa is not ready yet to take her place."

Giles shook his head sadly. "My slayer isn't a great help at the moment, she's very unstable. Last night... last night Buffy tried to kill a friend." Giles swallowed and tried to pull himself together. "Do you know where I can find Ethan?"

Edgar shivered by the sudden rage flickering in Giles' eyes. "We lost his track in one of the old warehouses. Rupert, please be careful, Ethan is a powerful magician. He has gained strength since your last encounter."

It was difficult for Giles to regain his composure. Ethan, you Pillock, what have you done this time?

Edgar Pembrook bent forward and said sternly, "With everything you do, be aware of the global effects if you fail." With a glance at his watch, he added, "I hope next time we will meet under better circumstances in London. Oh, by the way, the council voted in its last meeting for your reinstatement as an official watcher. I'm really happy for you, Rupert, and of course for your slayer."

"Thank you, Edgar. I really can imagine how many favors you had to demand," Giles replied deeply moved.

"Nonsense!" Edgar Pembrook refused roughly. "You underestimate your reputation, Rupert. You have more friends at the council than you know." Edgar stood up and shook hands with Giles. "All right! It's time to say goodbye. I hope you are successful.. for all of us."

After Edgar had left the café, Giles sat at his place and nipped at his tea, absorbed in thought. God, Ethan. What has he done this time? Halloween and Eyghon had been bad, the case with the enchanted cookies rather grotesque. But the summoning of a mass murderer? It was somehow not Ethan's standard, too many incalculable risks.

Determined, Giles stood up, paid the bill and left the café towards the old warehouses.

**Giles' Apartment ****Same Time**

Buffy went into the bathroom and splashed cold water into her tear stained face. She could already feel a headache form behind her eyes.

Suddenly, she heard Xander's voice behind her, "Do you feel better now?"

"Xander!" Buffy twirled around, startled, but Xander had already left the room. She quickly dried her face and followed him into the sitting room, where he sat on the sofa, pretending to read a book. Slowly Buffy went over and sat down beside him.

"Xander, do you believe me, that I'm sorry?" Buffy sounded like a lost little girl. New tears melted her view.

"Sssh, it's ok," Xander whispered and took Buffy comfortingly in his arms. "You were not yourself last night. Give us some time." He stroked gently over Buffy's back. After a long while her tears slowly run dry and she wearily snuggled closer into his arms.

When the front door opened and Willow came in, she stopped in the door frame for a second to gaze at her friends, before she resolutely shut the door.

"Willow," Buffy whispered tear choked again, looking over Xander's shoulder at her long time friend.

Slowly Willow came closer, until she stood directly before them. Her eyes still glittering with rage, she laid her hands on her hips. "I can't approve of what you did last night. But I'll to help you. Leave Angel and Spike to me, I'll try to explain what you're going through."

When Buffy opened her mouth, Willow held up her hand. "No, Buffy! I'm not doing this for you, but for all of us. I'm doing this for us, the gang. We rely on each other and must stick together. But you should never forget, that you changed everything tonight."

Gratefully, Xander squeezed Willow's hand and mouthed, "Thank you."

**Part 19**

_**Old Warehouses ****Same Time**_

Deep in thought, Giles approached the area of the old warehouses. Where are you, Ehan? Where would you hide? A cold breeze puffed him in the back and send a chill down his spine.

Giles looked undetermined across the place. "Hmm, where should I start?" He turned to the left. Again a cold breeze, slightly stronger, pushed him in the right direction. Giles tumbled forward, regaining his balance.

"Crazy!" mumbled Giles. "But it's really unimportant, where I start. So the right side it'll be." He noticed that he had talked to himself and chuckled. "You're getting old, Rupert!"

Giles turned to the buildings on his right side and started to observe them closely for the tiniest hint.

One hour later he was still searching. Nothing! One hour of searching and still nothing! He was on the verge to look on the other side of the street, when he suddenly felt it. Like a magical pull, coming from the last building at the corner. Cautiously, Giles entered the dark building and went straight to the first floor, where he halted in front of a large metal door. He rose unsteady his hand to knock at the door. With a loud squeak the door flew open and he stood before Ethan Rayne.

"Hello, Ripper! Ahh no... I should better say 'Rupert', " Ethan saluted with a smirk and asked Giles in with a grand gesture.

Enraged, Giles pressed his hated opponent against the next wall. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear when we last met. Why are you back, Ethan?"

"But, Rupert," retorted Ethan with a mischievous glitter in his eyes, "you should know me. Have I ever done what you expected from me? Where's the funny thing about it?"

Slowly, almost resigned, Giles loosened his hold on Ethan's jacket. He wearily ran a hand through his hair.

"Ethan, just tell me which demon you summoned this time and I will let you go."

Ethan looked disappointed at his former friend and now favourite foe. "God, how pathetic have you become, Rupert! Where's your fighting spirit?" He searched for a reaction, anything, but all he saw was weariness and resignation. "Really, Rupert, you take every joy of conspiring from me. Think of the whole effort which I had to go through, the amount of time, which I-"

Giles couldn't endure it any longer. With a yell of rage, he rammed his fist in Ethan's grinning visage.

"Aaargh, my nose!" Ethan Rayne wailed and shielded his bloodied aching nose with his hands. "You broke my nose, you cretin!"

"And when you don't tell me the name of the demon at once, I will break your jaw too," Giles hissed seething with rage.

Ethan, feeling the gravity of his situation, tried to fight back desperately, but Giles' hold on his throat made it almost impossible.

"The name, Ethan!" Giles snarled and squeezed harder.

Ethan gasped for breath, frantically clawing with his fingernails at Giles' hands, who felt no pain, nothing, in his current state of rage.

"Alright, Ethan, you asked for it! We will end it, now and forever," said Giles and increased the deadly pressure on Ethan's throat.

Ethan realized the deadliness of his situation and croaked, "Ripper..."

"Wrong answer, Ethan," Giles replied with deadly seriousness.

In total panic, Ethan tried to speak, "J... Jack...Rip-...Ripper."

Only reluctantly, Giles opened his clenched fingers and Ethan panted for much needed air.

"Jack, the Ripper," Ethan repeated with a trembling coarse voice, just to play safe.

Horrified Giles remembered the Watcher Diaries about this murderer and with a scream he sent Ethan to sleep.

"Oh my God," Giles whispered, "you maniac brought back the worst human beast that ever roamed the earth."

With a last glance at a defeated Ethan Rayne, Giles hurried back to his apartment. At least, now they knew what they had to look for.

**Part 20**

_**Giles' Apartment ****same evening**_

Willow giggled softly and held the phone away from her ear when her mate suddenly shouted at his impudent childe.

"Sorry, Little One," came Angel's deep voice through the line, "can you please tell me again why I burden myself with this bleached blonde nag?"

The redheaded witch couldn't hold her pearling laughter any longer when she felt the annoyance, bewilderment and capitulation through their mental link.

"You love him," Willow simply stated.

After a small pause, Angel whispered conspiratorially, "Yeah, I do, but don't tell him or I'll never have a moment's peace again."

"Heard that, Peaches!" came Spike's voice triumphantly from the background.

Willow heard a frustrated deep growl from her mate. God, how she missed him. His strong hands, his smirk, his cool skin under her hands, the slight rippling of his muscles when he made love to her, his soft lips on her throat, the sweet pain when he bit her... "I miss you so much, my Angel," confessed Willow aloud.

"Ditto," came the souled vampires instant reply, his voice dark with longing and need.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Giles flounced in. He gave her a short look and said with a strained voice, "Hang up, I have important news."

A bit bewildered by his rude behavior, Willow said quickly good bye to her mate and followed Giles into the living room, where he already rummaged through his books.

"I know it's here... somewhere...," Giles mumbled and pulled book after book out of the shelf, "it has to be... aha!" He turned around with a very old and used looking book in his hands and went to the three anxiously waiting teens.

Giles slumped, suddenly tired, into the chair next to Willow and carefully laid the book on the table. "This is our killer."

Not sure what to say, they all looked at the book and then back at Giles.

Xander chuckled and leant forward. "That's a joke, right G-man? This little old book is our killer?"

Under Giles' angry look, his laughter died in his throat. "If you don't want to see the seriousness of our situation then, for God's sake, leave my house!" With every word, Giles' voice had risen in volume.

Three pairs of eyes flew to his face. When Giles saw the fear in the youths' faces, he tried to calm himself and pointed at the book. "This is the story of the most vicious murderer of the 19th century. He butchered six women in East End London and was never arrested."

"But, Giles, that's over a century ago," interjected Buffy confused. "Either he's long dead or he's rolling around in a wheelchair."

"This isn't a game, Buffy," Giles insisted in an excerted tone, "you don't seem to understand with what we are coping here. This man couldn't be found then because the Council caught him and sent him to Hell where he should have stayed till the end of time."

"You mean, they sent a living breathing human being into Hell?" made Xander sure. Giles only looked at him. "Good, serves him right!"

Willow, who had remained silent the whole time, furrowed her brow in deep concentration. "Who brought him back?" she asked finally. "Is it Ethan Rayne?"

Once again amazed by the red-haired witch's keen perception, Giles took a deep breath. He knew that he was partly responsible for the latest events, but Ethan had been once his best friend and his death was never an option for him.

"Er... you're right, he's the one behind it all." Frustrated Giles took off his glasses and absentminded rubbed them clean with his handkerchief.

Furious, Buffy jumped up and grabbed for her jacket. "Really, why I'm not one bit surprised, Giles."

"Sit down!" barked Giles. By her hurt look, he apologestically added, "please, Buffy. We shouldn't rush into a situation we can't judge at the moment."

Xander stood up as well. "Buff's right, we should go and kick the bastard's ass out of town once and for all."

"I know how you both fee-" started Giles, but Xander interrupted him with a cry of anguish.

"NO! You don't... no one knows how... how... no one...," tears were running down Xander's pale face and Buffy pressed his hand in sympathy.

Giles swallowed hard, he didn't knew how to cope with this situation anymore. Watcher were only trained to support the Slayer, not to guide a group of young innocent children through a hell called life. "I'm sorry Xander, you're right... and Buffy, you too. But we all should calm down and... and handle this case like every other."

Buffy and Xander hesitated, both filled with the desire to finally get revenge. Seeking for help, Giles looked at Willow.

"Oookaay, guys," chirped Willow encouriging, "research-time!"

_**Hours later**_

"I think I found something," stated Xander and waved with his book. "It says that a person from Hell is abble to roam the earth within a vessel."

"That's it," shouted Giles, "why didn't I recognized it by my own?" Thrilled Giles jumped up and went over to Xander, where he looked over the young man's shoulder at the text. "The ghost needs a body to perform his deeds."

Buffy sarcastically glanced at the others. "Wow, big news!"

"No, no, Buffy! You don't understand," got Giles excited, "if we find the vessel, we're able to destroy this monster forever."

"By killing an innocent person?" interjected Willow quietly.

Xander looked at her irritated, "What?"

With a sigh, Willow explained, "The vessel has to be a living breathing human being. Don't you agree, Giles?" After his short nod, the red-headed witch continued, "Buffy can't kill someone who certainly doesn't know what happens to him."

Ashamed by his thoughts, Xander dropped his head. Silence settled over the little group, till Buffy couldn't stand it any longer and fidgeted with her stake. "What if it's Giles?" They looked at Buffy as if she suddenly sprouted two heads. "What?" asked the blonde slayer pouting, "it's not so absurd." She pointed with her stake at Giles. "Ethan hates Giles. Ethan tried to kill Giles several times and failed miserable. Ethan summons Jack the Ripper. Ethan gets his revenge. Totally obvious."

Shocked, Giles went to his sideboard and took a big shot of Whiskey which he drained in one gulp. Wearily, he wiped his forehead and slumped against the furniture. "If that's true... and I dread there's no doubt about it... we have to take precautions." The longer he thought about Buffy's simple statement, the more horrible hidden pictures flooded his mind and kept running like a movie behind his closed eyelids. A shudder ran through Giles' body and he took deep breaths to calm his stomach. Startled, he looked at the small hand on his trembling arm.

Warm emerald eyes looked concerned at him.

"We'll find a way, Giles."

Giles gave Willow a tremulous smile and patted her hand. "I know." He turned and looked at Buffy and Xander. "Find something to restrain me in my room. I don't know what will happen, but we shouldn't leave something to chance."

"We could use Spike's old chains," suggested Xander. When Giles nodded in agreement, he turned and went looking in the basement.

"Buffy, please go to the 'Magic Box' and bring me the book about sleep spells, it should be in the shelf in the back. Perhaps, if I don't dream..." Giles stopped unsure what else to say. He never had felt so hopeless before. Glad to finally have something to do, the blonde slayer nodded and quickly left the house.

A second later, Xander came back into the room, heavy chains clinking with every of his steps. "Found them under tons of smut!" He swang them lightly and offered them to Giles and Willow.

"Ugh! I see," Willow laughed and skiped out of the way.

With a dry smile Giles took the chains and went to the stairs. "We should start, you never know..."

When Willow passed by Xander, she started to giggle again and tipped at her nose. Baffled, he pondered what caused her amusement when suddenly his brown eyes widened in realization. He wiped furiously with his sleeve over his face, but only succeeding in further smearing the dirt. After a second Xander growled in frustration and chased after Willow, who sqealed and ran after Giles.

Giles had made himself comfortable on his bed and Willow and Xander helped him fasten the chains.

Willow fluffed a second pillow for Giles and tucked it behind his back. "Do you need anything else? I could bring you something to eat... or to read... or-"

"It's ok Willow. I'm totally comfortable... er... under the prevailing circumstances... I mean."

Green eyes roamed over the tight shackled form of the watcher. "You don't say!" Willow returned with a slightly raised eyebrow.

With a chuckle Xander interjected from his seat in the corner, "G-man, give up, you're fighting a losing battle."

Giles felt like a little schoolboy and started blushing. "Ok... good... I feel terrible, like a laced up turkey... better?"

"Nope," answered Willow, before she bent down and kissed Giles on his cheek. A golden light flashed suddenly through his eyes, unseen by the two youths. Giles quickly turned his head and pressed his lips on Willow's soft ones. Appalled she jerked her head back and stared at the man who was more a father to her then her real one. The sudden sneer on his face told her all she had to know.

"Why the sudden shyness, you hot little minx?" said Giles with a leer at rosy lips. "Come a bit closer and I will show you what you missed so far!"

Willow pressed a hand to her mouth and flet at Xander's side, who jumped out of his seat and pulled her protectivly into his arms. "What the fuck-?"

Mocking eyes laughed behind the glasses. "Hello loser, liked my present?"

The red-haired witch felt how Xander's body went rigid. "It's him," she whispered desperately. Xander's only response was the tightening of his arms around her. "We need help!"

After what seemed like an eternity for Willow, Xander's posture slightly relaxed. "Get Angel."

"But-"

"Get Angel!" Xander exclaimed louder and shoved her vehemently towards the door. Willow hesitated for a second, but when she heard the raspy lascivious laughter from the man on the bed, she bolted down the stairs with her hair flying behind her like a flame.

The two men staired at each other, either weighing up his next move.

Giles licked his lips and tried out his chains. Nothing. He pulled harder, again nothing happened. When he saw the idiots grin, he stopped struggling. "Magical enchanted?" Giled asked with dawning recognition.

Xander didn't move.

Bored by the lack of emotion from the youth, Giles tried another method. "Your girlfriend was really a screamer." No reaction. "She liked it when I-"

Xander had enough. He sat down again, took out a tissue handkerchief and ripped it in two pieces. Then he made two little balls and put them in his ears. With a satisfied sigh, Xander grinned at the fuming bastard. Hopefully Will and Angel would be back really fast.


End file.
